The solubilities of ionic liquids in the ternary systems (ionic liquid + H(2)O + inorganic salt) were reported at 298.15 K and atmospheric pressure. The examined ionic liquids are [C(4)mim][PF(6)] (1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate), [C(8)min][PF(6)] (1-n-octyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate), and [C(8)mim][BF(4)] (1-n-octy1-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate). The examined inorganic salts are the chloride-based salts (sodium chloride, lithium chloride, potassium chloride, and magnesium chloride) and the sodium-based salts (sodium thiocyanate, sodium nitrate, sodium trifluoroacetate, sodium bromide, sodium iodide, sodium perchlorate, sodium acetate, sodium hydroxide, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, sodium phosphate, sodium tetrafluoroborate, sodium sulfate, and sodium carbonate). The effects of the cations and the anions of the ionic liquids and of the inorganic salts on the solubility of the ionic liquids in the ternary solutions were systematically compared and discussed. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.