MTBE: TO WHAT EXTENT WILL PAST RELEASES CONTAMINATE COMMUNITY SUPPLY WELLS?

The increasing frequency of detection of the widely used petrol additive methyl terbutyl ether (MTBE) in both ground and surface waters is receiving much attention from media, environmental scientists, state environmental agencies, and federal agencies in the USA. Between 5% and 10% of community drinking water supplies (CWS) in areas of high MTBE use show at least detectable MTBE concentrations, and about 1% of these supplies have MTBE levels above 20ug/l. This paper analyses the problem, and indicates some possible approaches to solving it. The main sources of MTBE in ground water are leaking underground fuel tanks (LUFTs) and leaking pipelines. Other sources include tank overfilling, faulty construction at petrol stations, spillage from vehicle accidents, and releases from homes. MTBE was introduced as a petrol additive in the late 1970s, and its use has risen rapidly since then; it is very soluble in water. Subsurface contamination could threaten local CWS wells for tens to hundreds of years ahead, because LUFT sources can persist for decades and it can take many years for ground water to flow from MTBE sources to CWS wells. The concentrations of MTBE sources reaching a well can be reduced by: (1) dilution by mixing with uncontaminated water; (2) dispersion; and (3) degradation of MTBE by subsurface micro-organisms.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/0013936X
• Corporate Authors:

  American Chemical Society

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  Washington, DC  United States  20036
• Authors:
  • JOHNSON, R
  • PANKOW, J
  • Bender, D
  • PRICE, C
  • ZOGORSKI, J
• Publication Date: 2000-5-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 210A-217A
• Serial:
  • Environmental Science & Technology
  • Volume: 34
  • Issue Number: 9
  • Publisher: American Chemical Society
  • ISSN: 0013-936X
  • EISSN: 1520-5851
  • Serial URL: http://pubs.acs.org/journal/esthag

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Admixtures; Concentration (Chemistry); Fuels; Groundwater; Methodology; Organic compounds; Pollutants; Pollution; Publicity; Runoff; Seepage; Water
• Uncontrolled Terms: Decreases
• Geographic Terms: United States
• ITRD Terms: 4736: Admixture; 7132: Concentration (chem); 9009: Decrease; 3850: Fuel; 4383: Ground water; 9102: Method; 7366: Organic; 2431: Pollutant; 2453: Pollution; 8573: Publicity; 4329: Run off; 4315: Seepage; 8122: USA; 4355: Water
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Hydraulics and Hydrology;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00795143
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Jul 7 2000 12:00AM