MTBE - Panacea or problem

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is an octane-enhancer and oxygenate compound that was authorized as a gasoline additive by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in late 1979. MTBE has many chemical and physical properties that make it a desirable compound for these purposes. However, the aqueous solubility of MTBE, which is in the 50,000 ppm range, allows it to dissolve into groundwater where it is transported virtually without retardation. MTBE also is resistant to microbial degradation and does not air-strip from water efficiently. These characteristics have caused wells to become contaminated with MTBE that in the absence would not have become contaminated with hydrocarbons from gasoline releases. Research on innovative technologies to treat water contaminated with MTBE is underway. The final regulatory determination of allowable concentrations and whether or not future use of MTBE will be allowed has yet to be made. (C) 2001 AEHS.