GWERD Research on MTBE and Fuel Oxygenates

Regulatory agencies within the individual states have the primary responsibility to manage MTBE contamination in ground water originating from spills of gasoline from underground storage tanks. MTBE and other fuel oxygenates are frequently the major contaminants in ground water at gasoline spills. The state agencies rely heavily on monitored natural attenuation (MNA) as an approach to manage the risk associated with gasoline spills. To use MNA appropriately, the state agencies require a detailed understanding of the fate of MTBE in ground water. Research within the Ground Water and Ecosystems Restoration Division is intended to answer important questions relating to MNA. Is MTBE biologically degraded in ground water under natural conditions? How can we determine the rate and extent of natural biodegradation at a spill site? Do the other oxygenates, such as ethanol and TBA, degrade under natural conditions? What is the effect of ethanol and MTBE in a fuel spill on the natural biodegradation of benzene? Often MNA is not appropriate and the state agencies must implement active cleanup. Other research within the Ground Water and Ecosystems Division answers questions about technology. How well does conventional technology originally intended for treating BTEX in ground water work for treating MTBE? Can the flow of ground water at a site be managed to prevent contamination of ground water by a fuel spill.

Microcosm Study of Anaerobic Biodegradation of MTBE in Aquifer Sediment

Conventional wisdom holds that MTBE does not easily degrade under anaerobic conditions in ground water. Laboratory studies conducted by the Ground Water and Ecosystems Restoration Division show that anaerobic transformation of MTBE to TBA is pervasive and extensive in certain sections of the United States. This is particularly true in southern California, where the risk to ground water from MTBE is high.

Recent Highlights:

• Performance of Conventional Remedial Technology for Treatment of MTBE and Benzene at UST Sites in Kansas. Greg Hattan, Barbara Wilson, John T. Wilson. Remediation 14(1):85-94. (2003)

• Use of Compound-Specific Stable Carbon Isotope Analyses to Demonstrate Anaerobic Biodegradation of MTBE in Groundwater at Gasoline Release Site. Ravi Kolhatkar, Tomasz Kuder, Paul Philp, Jon Allen, and John T. Wilson. Environmental Science & Technology 26(24):5139-5146 (2002).

• Role of Natural Attenuation in the Life Cycle of MTBE Plumes. Wilson, John T., and Ravi Kolhatkar. Journal of Environmental Engineering, Volume 128(9):876-882, (2002).

• Fate and Transport of MTBE and Other Gasoline Oxygenates. 2003. John T. Wilson. In: Handbook for Managing Releases of Gasoline Containing MTBE. Editors: Ellen Moyer and Paul Kostecki. Amherst Scientific Publishers. pages 19-61.

• Aerobic In-Situ Bioremediation. 2003. John T. Wilson. In: Handbook for Managing Releases of Gasoline Containing MTBE. Editors: Ellen Moyer and Paul Kostecki. Amherst Scientific Publishers. Pages 243-260.

• Remedial Costs for MTBE in Soil and Groundwater. Barbara H. Wilson and John T. Wilson. 2002. Contaminated Soil Sediment & Water. AHES, Inc. Amherst, Massachusetts, July/ August 2002, pages 47 to 51 (2002).

EPA Home | Privacy and Security Notice | Contact Us