I am pleased to be here today to discuss the increasing concern that our nations waters are becoming contaminated with methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE). About a third of the states, in certain areas, use gasoline that contains MTBE to help them limit air pollution because it burns cleaner. However, the substance could also pose risks to human health, especially as a contaminant in drinking wa...

background: methyl tert -butyl ether (mtbe) has been commercially used as an octane enhancer to replace tetraethyl lead in gasoline since 1979. the high mobility, water solubility, and resistance to natural attenuation associated with mtbe may re­sult in contamination of ground and surface waters. in this investigation the degradation of aqueous mtbe at relatively high concentrations was studie...

Methyltertbutyl ether (MTBE) administered by percutaneous transhepatic catheter rapidly dissolves radiolucent cholesterol gall bladder stones. However, complete dissolution and clearance of non-cholesterol debris is essential to prevent recurrence. In this study we analysed 25 consecutive patients with reference to efficacy and recurrence based on the presence or absence of non-cholesterol ston...

Plasma treatment of contaminated water appears to be a promising alternative for the oxidation of aqueous organic pollutants. This study examines the kinetic and oxidation mechanisms of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) in a dense medium plasma (DMP) reactor utilizing gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-thermal conductivity techniques. A rate law is developed for the remova...

The goal of this case study is to examine how foresight, embodied in the precautionary principle, can lead to robust and flexible decisions that meet the needs of the present, but that can be adapted to meet the changing needs of the future. Recently there has been much debate over the use of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) in petrol. Concerns in particular over the potential for contamination o...