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Updated: Feb 15, 2026
10:42
Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Biomass with Low-cost Ionic Liquids
Published on: August 10, 2016
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Ionic liquids in whole-cell biocatalysis: a compromise between toxicity and efficiency
Ksenia S Egorova1, Valentine P Ananikov2
1Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Prospekt 47, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
Biophysical Reviews
|January 10, 2018
Summary
Whole-cell biocatalysis offers advantages but faces challenges due to organic solvent toxicity. This review explores ionic liquid/water systems to overcome microbial sensitivity for practical organic transformations.
Area of Science:
- Biocatalysis and Organic Chemistry
Background:
- Whole-cell biocatalysis presents significant advantages over traditional chemical and enzymatic catalysis.
- A major hurdle for practical application is the high sensitivity of microorganisms to organic solvents, limiting their use.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the toxic solvent properties of ionic liquid/water systems.
- To assess the potential of these systems for developing efficient applications in organic transformations using whole-cell biocatalysis.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on the effects of ionic liquid/water mixtures on microbial tolerance.
- Analysis of solvent properties relevant to biocatalytic processes.
Main Results:
- Ionic liquid/water systems exhibit varying toxic effects on microorganisms, dependent on specific ionic liquid structures and compositions.
- Understanding these toxic properties is crucial for optimizing solvent systems.
Conclusions:
- Ionic liquid/water systems offer a promising avenue to mitigate the toxicity of organic solvents in whole-cell biocatalysis.
- Further research into tailored ionic liquid/water systems can enhance microbial tolerance and enable broader applications in organic synthesis.
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