Title: Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids Meet Bio-Membranes: the State-of-the- Art,
Abstract: Room-temperature ionic liquids (RTIL) are a new class of organic salts whose
melting temperature falls below the conventional limit of 100C. Their low vapor
pressure, moreover, has made these ionic compounds the solvents of choice of
the so-called green chemistry. For these and other peculiar characteristics,
they are increasingly used in industrial applications. However, studies of
their interaction with living organisms have highlighted mild to severe health
hazards. Since their cytotoxicity shows a positive correlation with their
lipo-philicity, several chemical-physical studies of their interaction with
biomembranes have been carried out in the last few years, aiming to identify
the microscopic mechanisms behind their toxicity. Cation chain length and anion
nature have been seen to affect the lipo-philicity and, in turn, the toxicity
of RTILs. The emerging picture, however, raises new questions, points to the
need to assess toxicity on a case-by-case basis, but also suggests a potential
positive role of RTILs in pharmacology, bio-medicine, and, more in general,
bio-nano-technology. Here, we review this new subject of research, and comment
on the future and the potential importance of this new field of study.