Applications of ionic liquids in environmental remediation

Abstract Ionic liquids (ILs) can be considered as alternative solvents (green solvents) with characteristics that determine them for specific applications within green chemistry, such as nonflammable, practically no vapor pressure, easily recycled, and high solubility (organic and inorganic compounds), allowing great versatility in the synthesis process and a series of applications, such as wastewater treatment and gas purification. Moreover, the applications of ILs are varied and in practically all areas of chemistry, biotechnology, and nanotechnology, such as synthesis, chemical catalysis, biocatalysis, polymerization reactions, and sensors. Therefore, this chapter aims to list the environmental application of ILs, initially highlighting their main applications (pharmaceutical industry, thermal fluids, nanoparticle synthesis, catalysis, polymerization, fuel, distillation, gas separation, and extraction), followed by their use in environmental remediation for oil spills and water remediation.