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The use of the oxygenate MTBE in gasoline represents one of the largest single use chemicals in the U.S. MTBE can be up to 15 to 25% of the volume of gasoline at the pump. The compound enters the environment through a variety of means. In most cases, leaking underground storage tanks and outright spills make up a large path for the material to enter the environment. Fuel spills into the soil will move downward until they encounter the water table where the petroleum components will float. MTBE, however, will dissolve in groundwater and migrate ahead of the BTEX plume. The presence of MTBE is detectable to humans by taste or smell at concentrations in the 40 to 100 part per billion range. Because of the cost of pump and treat technologies for very low concentration compounds, in situ biodegradation is attractive. Naturally occurring microorganisms have been shown to aerobically degrade MTBE to CO2 and water in the laboratory. For more detailed information on MTBE Research in NRMRL's Land Remediation and Pollution Control Division, visit the website at http://www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/lrpcd/tdb/Research-Programs_files/MTBE_research.htm

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