LAUSR

Linseed oil, olive oil, and sunflower oil were selected based on green chemistry principles and C60 solubility as alternative solvents to replace 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene (TMB) for C60 manufacturing. Singular acute toxicity experiments of C60 and the four solvents was performed using Daphnia magna to identify the solvent with the lowest toxicity and estimate the toxicity of C60. The EC50 for C60 was estimated to be higher than 176 ppm. The toxicity of the solvents increased from sunflower oil to olive oil, linseed oil, and TMB. Combined toxicity tests were conducted to investigate the interaction between C60 and the solvent since essential oils can be nanocarriers and facilitate the transport of C60 into the cell membranes, which would increase its toxicity. Various concentrations of C60 (0, 11, 22, 44, 88, and 176 mg/L) were mixed with solvents at their EC50 concentrations. The toxicity of linseed oil increased with increasing C60 concentrations. For olive and sunflower oil, the toxicity was lowered with low concentrations of C60. Olive oil was determined to be a suitable solvent for C60 manufacturing based on singular and combined toxicity assessments. This study showed the importance of considering combined toxicity for solvent selection.