This paper examines the potential for phytoremediation of MTBE, a gasoline additive that has become a prevalent and persistent groundwater pollutant, due to its' non-sorbing and non-reactive nature in water. A novel experimental design is developed to measure plant uptake and transpiration of MTBE from hydroponic systems, separating these processes from passive volatilization of the chemical. P...

A bacterial strain, PM1, which is able to utilize methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) as its sole carbon and energy source, was isolated from a mixed microbial consortium in a compost biofilter capable of degrading MTBE. Initial linear rates of MTBE degradation by 2 x 10(6) cells ml(-1) were 0.07, 1.17, and 3.56 microg ml(-1) h(-1) for initial concentrations of 5, 50, and 500 microg MTBE ml(-1), res...

one of the major problems about the chelant-enhanced phytoextraction is the potential metal leaching associated with chelant application. a glasshouse pot experiment was conducted to investigate phytoextraction efficiency of common reed (phragmites australis (cav.) trin. ex steudel) for lead and chromium and to determine edta (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) enhancement of the mobility and phy...

A stand of five conifers (Pinus sp.) bordering a gasoline service station was studied to estimate the methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) emission rate from gasoline-impacted groundwater. Groundwater was impacted with gasoline oxygenates MTBE and tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) at combined concentrations exceeding 200,000 microg/L. Condensate from trees was collected in sealed environmental chambers and an...

Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) is a synthetic chemical that was historically used as an octane booster additive to gasoline. Increasingly there have been concerns about its toxicity and potential carcinogenicity. Because of these concerns, 18 states regulate MTBE levels in groundwater and 17 have banned its use in gasoline. Because of its chemical characteristics, MTBE contaminated sites ar...

We have isolated a mixed bacterial culture (BC-1) which is capable of degrading the gasoline oxygenate methyl t-butyl ether (MTBE). BC-1 was developed from seed microorganisms present in a chemical plant biotreater sludge. This enrichment culture has been maintained in continuous culture treating high concentrations of MTBE (120 to 200 mg/liter) as the sole carbon source in a simple feed contai...

To manage risk or to implement natural attenuation as a remedy, regulatory agencies must understand the processes that attenuate methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE) in ground water. Most case studies and laboratory studies in the literature indicate that natural biodegradation is not important; however, recent reports indicate that natural biodegradation of MTBE plays an important role under certain...