Galleria mellonella as a novel in vivo model for assessment of the toxicity of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ionic liquids

•A novel, sensitive in vivo model for ionic liquid toxicity is presented.•LD50 concentrations of nine ionic liquids to G. mellonella were determined.•Toxicity was directly influenced by ionic liquid alkyl chain length.•G. mellonella appears to be an ideal model for the study of ionic liquid toxicity.

The larval form of the Greater Wax Moth (Galleria mellonella) was evaluated as a model system for the study of the acute in vivo toxicity of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ionic liquids. 24-h median lethal dose (LD50) values for nine of these ionic liquids bearing alkyl chain substituents ranging from 2 to 18 carbon atoms were determined. The in vivo toxicity of the ionic liquids was found to correlate directly with the length of the alkyl chain substituent, and the pattern of toxicity observed was in accordance with previous studies of ionic liquid toxicity in other living systems, including a characteristic toxicity ‘cut-off’ effect. However, G. mellonella appeared to be more susceptible to the toxic effects of the ionic liquids tested, possibly as a result of their high body fat content. The results obtained in this study indicate that G. mellonella represents a sensitive, reliable and robust in vivo model organism for the evaluation of ionic liquid toxicity.