Oxidative stress, genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium chloride on Paramisgurnus dabryanus.

•Acute toxicity test result showed that [C8mim]Cl had higher toxicity effect to P. dabryanus.•Biochemical analysis results showed that [C8mim]Cl could induce oxidative stress in fish.•Comet assay results showed that [C8mim]Cl induced obvious genotoxicity in fish.•Apoptosis analysis results showed that [C8mim]Cl induced obvious cytotoxicity in fish.•Toxicity effects of [C8mim]Cl to fish were obvious dose-t and time-effect relationships.