Methyl-Tertiary-Butyl Ether (MTBE) — a Gasoline Additive — Causes Testicular and Lympho Haematopoietic Cancers in Rats

Abstract

In the framework of a series of experiments conducted to evaluate the carcinogenic effects of oxygenated gasoline additives, MTBE was analyzed in an oral lifetime carcinogenicity study using 8-week-old male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. These experiments were part of a large research project on gasoline carcinogenicity performed at the Bentivoglio (BT) Castle Cancer Research Center of the Ramazzini Foundation and of the Bologna Institute of Oncology, MTBE, dissolved in oil, was administered by stomach tube at the doses of 1000, 250, or 0 mg/kg b.w., once daily, four days weekly, for 104 weeks. The animals were maintained until natural death. The last animal died 166 weeks after the start of the experiment, i.e., at 174 weeks of age. Under the tested experimental conditions, MTBE was shown to cause an increase in Leydig interstitial cell tumors of the testes and a dose-related increase in lymphomas and leukemias in female rats.

Effect of Ultraviolet Light on the Efficiency of Nano Photo-Catalyst (UV/ CNTs/TiO2) Composite in Removing MTBE from Contaminated Water

“…The main concern however is with its potential adverse human health effects, symptoms of which include headache, cough, nausea dizziness and skin irritation [6]. Reference [7] showed that exposure to MTBE caused an increase in cell tumors, lymphomas and leukemia in rats. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has classified MTBE as a potential human carcinogen and recommended a concentration limit of 20 to 40µg/L in drinking water in order to avoid undesirable odor and taste problems [8].…”

Stabilization and Solidification of a Clay Soil Contaminated with MTBE

“…The higher water solubility and persistence of MTBE can cause it to move faster than many other component of gasoline when released into aquifer. The toxicity of MTBE to animals and humans is well documented and it has been established that the MTBE is carcinogenic to animals (Belpoggi et al, 1995, Kamalan et al, 2009Liang et al, 2010). Franklin (2000) reported that MTBE has become one of the most problematic pollutants in urban soils and groundwater worldwide.…”

Frontmatter

“…For example, benzene is a human carcinogen; 10 chloroform, 11 dichloromethane, 12 dioxane, 13 and carbon tetrachloride 14 are carcinogenic in experimental animals; and DMF 15 and MTBE 16,17 may be carcinogenic. Organic solvents are, in general, flammable and toxic by inhalation, ingestion, and skin absorption.…”