Occurrence of the gasoline additive MTBE in shallow ground water in urban and agricultural areas

Abstract

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is a volatile organic compound (VOC) derived from natural gas that is added to gasoline either seasonally or year round in many parts of the United States to increase the octane level and to reduce carbon monoxide and ozone levels in the air. In 1993, production of MTBE ranked second among all organic chemicals manufactured in the United States. Currently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tentatively classifies MTBE as a possible human carcinogen. Health complaints related to MTBE in the air were first reported in Fairbanks, Alaska in November 1992 when about 200 residents reported problems such as headaches, dizziness, eye irritation, burning of the nose and throat, disorientation, and nausea. Similar health complaints have been registered in Anchorage

Methyl t -Butyl Ether Mineralization in Surface-Water Sediment Microcosms under Denitrifying Conditions

“…Consequently, engineered systems are being developed to support aerobic MTBE biodegradation under otherwise anoxic conditions (18). Unfortunately, recent groundwater and surface-water quality assessments indicate that environmental MTBE contamination is so widespread (1,2,4,7,13,16,(22)(23)(24)(25) that engineered solutions are realistic only for a small percentage of contaminated sites. For the remaining sites where natural attenuation would be expected to be the primary method for environmental restoration, identifying the conditions which support efficient anaerobic degradation of MTBE to nontoxic products is crucial.…”

“…Pervasive contamination of groundwater (2,7,(22)(23)(24) and surface-water systems (1,4,13,16,25) by the fuel oxygenate methyl t-butyl ether (MTBE) makes crucial an accurate understanding of its environmental fate. A drinking water advisory exists for MTBE for taste and odor of 20 to 40 g/liter (26), and MTBE is classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a possible human carcinogen (7,26).…”

Remediation of MTBE from Drinking Water: Air Stripping Followed by Off-Gas Adsorption

“…It has been identified as the second most common volatile organic compound (VOC) detected in wells monitored in urban areas nationwide between 1985 and 1995. 1,4 When accidentally released into the environment, the resistance of MTBE to natural degradation, combined with its physical and chemical properties, makes it a threat to drinking-water supplies. A long half-life (12 months) has been estimated for MTBE in subsurface systems, 5 which makes it persistent in aquifers.…”

Forensic Analysis of MTBE Contamination Using Basic Hydrogeologic Concepts

“…It was added to gasoline as an octane enhancer as early as 1979 and was, at the time, the most commonly used fuel oxygenate because of its low cost, ease of production, and favorable transfer and blending characteristics (3). As MTBE was first added to gasoline, it has been detected in of both ground (4,5) and surface water (6,7). A United States Geological Survey (USGS) national survey indicates that MTBE was present in source water used by 8.7% of randomly selected community water systems (CWS) in the United States at concentrations ranging from 0.2 lg/L to 20 lg/L (8).…”