You are here:
INFLUENCE OF METHYL TERT-BUTYL ETHER (MTBE) ON LAKE WATER ALGAE
Citation:
Kampbell*, D H., Y. An, AND V. R. Williams. INFLUENCE OF METHYL TERT-BUTYL ETHER (MTBE) ON LAKE WATER ALGAE. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 57(4):675-681, (2001).
Description:
Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) has been used as an octane booster in gasoline in the United States since the 1970s. MTBE use increased greatly in the 1990s with the implementation of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. The MTBE enhanced a more complete combustion of fuel hydrocarbons with reduced carbon monoxide and ozone levels in urban air. By 1998, MTBE production was fourth most produced chemicals in the USA ENRfu(Johnson et al. 2000). MTBE has been detected in surface and shallow well samples since 1993 ENRfu(Newman 1995). Although MTBE is less toxic than some other gasoline components, it can cause a taste and odor problem in water supplies. Some animal exposure studies have indicated that MTBE is a carcinogen. MTBE is an aliphatic hydrocarbon ether with high solubility in water, and it does not biodegrade readily in a subsurface environments because of its chemical structure ENRfu(Andrews 1998; Johnson et al. 2000). Sources of MTBE contamination in water bodies are releases from gasoline-powered watercraft, atmospheric deposition, precipitation of industrial vapors, and vehicle emissions ENRfu(Reuter et al. 1988). Presently about 24 percent of all gasoline contain about 11 percent by volume MTBE in the USA ENRfu(Herrick 2000).
This study was done to determine if MTBE contamination had an adverse influence on algae in Lake Texoma waters. Powerboat activities at some Lake Texoma marinas have caused a localized contamination of MTBE in the water. Water samples from powerboat active marinas were spiked with different concentrations of MTBE. Toxic levels of MTBE were determined by measuring the viability of algae by monitoring chlorophyll-a, which reverts to phaeophytin-a upon death of the algae.