lets hope i spelled that right...so what is it..they said here in california they are working to get rid of it...but what is it? doesnt all gases have it?
MTBE
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MTBE is Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether, and you'll have to ask one of the chemists on the list what it does. But it's an additive, not something inherent in all gasoline.
It's a known carcinogen, and the main reason for wanting to eliminate it from gasoline formulations is that it can migrate in groundwater quite some distance from the source of a spill, and it is very resistant to air stripping and biodegradation, the commonly used clean-up methodologies (or they were 10 years ago when I was working in the business).
It's a known carcinogen, and the main reason for wanting to eliminate it from gasoline formulations is that it can migrate in groundwater quite some distance from the source of a spill, and it is very resistant to air stripping and biodegradation, the commonly used clean-up methodologies (or they were 10 years ago when I was working in the business).
MTBE is an oxygenate additive that can aid in emission reduction. Some areas use it while some others use ethanol. It seems to be a big enviromental hot-button right now, like any petroleum product and/or additive isn't?
Some speculation is that the corn industry (specifically Archer-Daniels Midland) is behind the push to eliminate MTBE. I guess so they could sell more corn squeezins'.
[ October 09, 2003, 09:43 AM: Message edited by: shortyb ]
Some speculation is that the corn industry (specifically Archer-Daniels Midland) is behind the push to eliminate MTBE. I guess so they could sell more corn squeezins'.
[ October 09, 2003, 09:43 AM: Message edited by: shortyb ]
A foray to the EPA's website ellicited NO link between MTBE and carcinogenic activity. There was, however, a recent report that the state of New York (others, too?) has listed MTBE as a possible carcinogen. This is a far cry from "known carcinogen", though. (Wouldn't surprise me if it achieves that status eventually, but that would require more long-term studies to establish. Shoot, barbecued meats are verified as containing known carcinogens - and have been for at least 35 years!) However, MTBE in high concentrations does induce kidney and nerve damage in laboratory mice. Interestingly, MTBE is used medically in human patients to dissolve gallstones.(!) The EPA's primary concern for elliminating MTBE from gasoline supplies is that, as stated above, MTBE is known to be leeching into the ground water table, and in sufficient concentration, has been associated with foul smelling and tasting drinking water in some regions. Ethanol is also an effective oxygenate and potentially carries with it the peripheral benefit that if it, too, leeches into the ground water table, our periodic need to quench thirst may include an unexpected "toot"!
While MTBE is a problem in small quantities due to its effects on taste and smell on water, and its solubilty in water allows it to travel faster than gasoline, the real problem is not the MTBE itself.
It always gets overlooked that if MTBE is coming from a gasoline leak, and we remove the MTBE from gasoline, we still have a gasoline leak.
Now we just have a problem with another contaminant that takes longer to migrate and detect, allowing potentially more to leak over time.
A no win deal
It always gets overlooked that if MTBE is coming from a gasoline leak, and we remove the MTBE from gasoline, we still have a gasoline leak.
Now we just have a problem with another contaminant that takes longer to migrate and detect, allowing potentially more to leak over time.
A no win deal
Aside from being a suspected carcinogen, MTBE tastes horrible, and its taste threshold is very, very low. Because MTBE is misable in water, readily migrates through soil, and seems to exploit any breech in fuel distribution containment, it’s not a very “friendly” fuel additive. Additionally, it is extremely difficult remediate once contamination does occur. Traditional remediation methods such as vapor extraction or GAC filtration are not very effective. I’d much prefer a little simple ethanol over a complicated ether.
For what it's worth, St. Louis has heavily oxygenated summer gasoline. The mileage on my Elantra drops like a rock, and I usually try to gas up outside of the metro area if possible. MBTE seems to give noticibly better gas mileage than ethanol--but they are phasing it out here--no MBTE farmers I suspect-- and it probably is more dangerous to the environment.
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