A series
of ionic liquids (ILs) composed by choline (Ch) as a cation
and different amino acids (AA) as anions and their respective aqueous
mixtures were prepared using different [Ch][AA] contents in a range
of 0.4–46 mol % IL. These solvents were used for the first
time to achieve an eco-friendlier Paraoxon degradation. The results
show that [Ch][AA]/water mixtures are an effective reaction medium
to degrade Paraoxon, even when the IL content in the mixture is low
(0.4 mol % IL) and without the need of an extra nucleophile. Both
the kinetics and the degradation pathways of pesticides depend on
the nature of the AA on [Ch][AA] and the amount of an IL present in
the mixture. We have demonstrated that in those mixtures with a low
amount of [Ch][AA], the hydrolysis reaction is the main pathway for
Paraoxon degradation, showing a catalytic effect of the IL. However,
as the percentage of [Ch][AA] increases in the mixture, the nucleophilic
attack of [Ch][AA] is evident. Finally, the aim of this study was
to provide evidence of a promising and biocompatible methodology to
degrade a toxic compound (Paraoxon) using a minimal quantity of an
IL designed totally from natural resources.
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