Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 27, 2026

Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Biomass with Low-cost Ionic Liquids
Published on: August 10, 2016
Phosphonium ionic liquids for degradation of phenol in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor
M D Baumann1, A J Daugulis, P G Jessop
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6.
Abstract:
Six ionic liquids (ILs), which are organic salts that are liquid at room temperature, were tested for their biocompatibility with three xenobiotic-degrading bacteria, Pseudomonas putida, Achromobacter xylosoxidans, and Sphingomonas aromaticivorans. Of the 18 pairings, seven were found to demonstrate biocompatibility, with one IL (trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) amide) being biocompatible with all three organisms. This IL was then used in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor (TPPB), consisting of 1 l aqueous phase loaded with 1,580 mg phenol and 0.25 l IL, inoculated with the phenol degrader P. putida. This initially toxic aqueous level of phenol was substantially reduced by phenol partitioning into the IL phase, allowing the cells to utilize the reduced phenol concentration. The partitioning of phenol from the IL to the aqueous phase was driven by cellular demand and thermodynamic equilibrium. All of the phenol was consumed at a rate comparable to that of previously used organic-aqueous TPPB systems, demonstrating the first successful use of an IL with a cell-based system. A quantitative (31)P NMR spectroscopic assay for estimating the log P values of ILs is under development.
Related Concept Videos
Physical Properties of Alcohols and Phenols
Alcohols possess a higher boiling point than aliphatic hydrocarbons of similar...
Acidity and Basicity of Alcohols and Phenols
Hydrolysis of Chlorobenzene to Phenol: Dow Process
Phase Diagrams of Ternary Systems
Phase I Reactions: Hydrolytic Reactions
An important hydrolytic reaction is ester hydrolysis. Ester bonds, often found in prodrugs, are broken down, increasing the solubility of drugs like aspirin and lidocaine for more straightforward elimination. Amide hydrolysis is another critical reaction, targeting amide bonds prevalent...
Bioplastics

