Occurrence of Methyl tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE) in Riverbank Filtered Water and Drinking Water Produced by Riverbank Filtration. 2 (original) (raw)
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Journal of Chromatography A, 2005
River water collected from 27 sites in 21 rivers, groundwater from 66 sites in 34 cities, and 2 sewage plants in the Niigata Prefecture, Japan (total 301 samples) were analyzed for methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) using an improved purge-and-trap-GC-MS method. The amount of MTBE found in water samples from the 27 river sites ranged from 0.003 to 5.3 g l −1. MTBE was found in all 27 sites during winter but it was found at only 9 sites and 14 sites, respectively, during the summer. MTBE was found most frequently (in 21 sites) at levels ranging from 0.003 to 0.009 g l −1 during February. The highest levels of MTBE were always found in the samples collected from the same site. The amount of MTBE found in sewage water samples ranged from <0.003 to 0.025 g l −1. No significant differences were observed between the amounts of MTBE recovered from inflow and outflow waters. Relatively high levels (0.02-0.034 g l −1) of MTBE were found in January at two sites, which were located on the upper course of the Shinano River. MTBE levels ranged from 0.004 to 0.035 g l −1 and from 0.005 to 0.041 g l −1 at the mouths of the Shinano River and Agano River, respectively. The levels of MTBE in groundwater collected from 66 sites in 34 cities in Niigata Prefecture ranged from <0.003 to 5.9 g l −1 .
Risk Characterization of Methyl tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) in Tap Water
Risk Analysis, 1997
Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) can enter surface water and groundwater through wet atmospheric deposition or as a result of fuel leaks and spills. About 30% of the U.S. population lives in areas where MTBE is in regular use. Ninety-five percent of this population is unlikely to be exposed to MTBE in tap water at concentrations exceeding 2 ppb, and most will be exposed to concentrations that are much lower and may be zero. About 5% of this population may be exposed to higher levels of MTBE in tap water, resulting from fuel tank leaks and spills into surface or groundwater used for potable water supplies. This paper describes the concentration ranges found and anticipated in surface and groundwater, and estimates the distribution of doses experienced by humans using water containing MTBE to drink, prepare food, and showerhathe. The toxic properties (including potency) of MTBE when ingested, inhaled, and in contact with the skin are summarized. Using a range of human toxic potency values derived from animal studies, margins of exposure (MOE) associated with alternative chronic exposure scenarios are estimated to range from 1700 to 140,000. Maximum concentrations of MTBE in tap water anticipated not to cause adverse health effects are determined to range from 700 to 14,000 ppb. The results of this analysis demonstrate that no health risks are likely to be associated with chronic and subchronic human exposures to MTBE in tap water. Although some individuals may be exposed to very high concentrations of MTBE in tap water immediately following a localized spill, these exposures are likely to be brief in duration due to large-scale dilution and rapid volatilization of MTBE, the institution of emergency response and remediation measures to minimize human exposures, and the low taste and odor thresholds of MTBE which ensure that its presence in tap water is readily detected at concentrations well below the threshold for human injury.
Water Research, 2004
Emissions of fuel components from boating use on multiple-use lakes and reservoirs are of high concern with regard to the drinking water supply from such water bodies. We report results of a detailed study on the occurrence, sources and fate of aromatic hydrocarbons and methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) in a typical holomictic lake, Lake Zurich, that supplies drinking water for the largest Swiss city. Emphasis of the investigation was on the fuel oxygenate MTBE, which was found in concentrations up to 1.4 mg/L in the epilimnion and up to 0.05 mg/L in the hypolimnion of the lake. The concentration difference was due to the stratification of the lake during the boating season with very limited water exchange across the thermocline. MTBE and BTEX nearly completely volatilized before vertical lake mixing occurred in winter. Spatial and temporal variations of MTBE concentrations in the lake were observed and successfully predicted using two complementary box models (MASAS Light and Aquasim). The drinking water supply from holomictic lakes is not at risk for the scenarios studied if water is extracted from well below the thermocline. Since emissions of unburned gasoline into such water bodies are caused predominantly by boating activities, restrictions of highly emitting twostroke engines could substantially reduce the MTBE and BTEX load of the epilimnion during the boating season. r
Journal of Chromatography A, 2003
In Catalonia (Northeast Spain), a monitoring program has been carried to determine methyl tertbutyl ether (MTBE), its main degradation products, tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) and tert-butyl formate (TBF); and other gasoline additives, oxygenate dialkyl ethers: ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE), tertamyl methyl ether (TAME) and diisopropyl ether (DIPE) and aromatics: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX) in 21 groundwater wells that were located near different gasoline point sources (a gasoline spill and underground storage tank leakage). For such purpose, purge and trap coupled to gas chromatography -mass spectrometry (P&T-GC/MS) was optimised for the simultaneous determination of the above mentioned compounds and permitted to detect concentrations at ng/l (ppt) or sub-ppb concentrations.
2003
In Catalonia (Northeast Spain), a monitoring program has been carried to determine methyl tertbutyl ether (MTBE), its main degradation products, tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) and tert-butyl formate (TBF); and other gasoline additives, oxygenate dialkyl ethers: ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE), tertamyl methyl ether (TAME) and diisopropyl ether (DIPE) and aromatics: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX) in 21 groundwater wells that were located near different gasoline point sources (a gasoline spill and underground storage tank leakage). For such purpose, purge and trap coupled to gas chromatography -mass spectrometry (P&T-GC/MS) was optimised for the simultaneous determination of the above mentioned compounds and permitted to detect concentrations at ng/l (ppt) or sub-ppb concentrations.
Cross-validation of methods used for analysis of MTBE and other gasoline components in groundwater
Chromatographia, 2002
Heacl space gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection (HS-GC-FID), ancl purge and trap gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (P&T-GC-MS) have been used to determine methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and benzene, toluene, and the xylenes (BTEX) in groundwater. In the work discussed in this paper measures of quality, e.g. recovery (94-111%), precision (4.6-12.2%), limits of detection (0.3-5.7 I~g L 1 for HS and 0.001 I~g L 1 for PT), and robustness, for both methods were compared. In addition, for purposes of comparison, groundwater samples from areas suffering from odor problems because of fuel spillage and tank leakage were analyzed by use of both techniques. For high concentration levels there was good correlation between results from both methods. Results from P&T analysis showed that 20 of the 21 samples from the vulnerable areas contained MTBE at concentrations up to 666 I~g L 1. Levels in seven samples exceeded maximum permissible levels for odor and taste set by the USEPA (20-40 I~g L 1); for thirteen of the samples levels were bel',,veen 0.28 and 179 I~g L 1. The sensitivily of HS-GC-FID was, however, I',,vo to three orders of magnitude lower and concentrations of 6-10 I~g L 1 could not always be detected, leading to false negatives. The same behavior was observed for analysis of BTEXthe lower sensitivity of HS-GC-FID and coelution of peaks led to results of poor rehabihty, and confirmation by GC-MS was always necessary. The applicability of I',,vo analytical methods widely used for routine monitoring of VOC thus depends on the organoleptic thresholds of MTBE and BTEX in groundwater (20 I~g L 1) and the need to survey trace concentrations of persistent MTBE in vulnerable aquifers.
Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2001
The occurrence and concentration of the fuel additive methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE) were measured in dry weather runo, municipal wastewater and industrial efuents, and coastal receiving waters in southern California. Combined, re®neries and sewage treatment plants release approximately 214 kg day À1 of MTBE into the marine environment, with Santa Monica Bay receiving most (98%) of this discharge. Dry weather urban runo was analysed for samples collected from 25 streams and rivers, and accounted for less than 0.5% of the mass of MTBE discharged to coastal waters. Receiving water samples were collected from 23 stations in Santa Monica Bay, Los Angeles Harbour and Mission Bay or San Diego Bay. MTBE was detected at low concentrations near efuent discharges, however there was no evidence of baywide MTBE contamination related to these outfalls. Marinas and areas used intensively for recreational boating had the highest average MTBE concentration (8.8 lg l À1). Surface water contamination was most widespread in San Diego Bay and Mission Bay, areas with no re®nery or sewage treatment plant inputs.
2012
This research aims to investigate the possible occurrence, distribution, and sources of the newly added gasoline oxygenate, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and gasoline components of benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylenes (BTEX) group in Jordan’s water resources through a preliminary assessment study. The study has focused on monitoring the levels of (MTBE) and (BTEX) in Amman-Zarqa Basin and Northern Governorate. Comprehensive sampling campaigns were conducted covering groundwater wells on different locations from the gas stations. Purge and trap gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used for the determination of (MTBE) and (BTEX) in groundwater, which is capable to detect μg/l levels. The levels of MTBE and BTEX detected for the first phase of the study were below the Lowest Reportable Value (LRV), which is 1 μg/l and comply with international and national standards. The second phase of the research will concentrate on the analysis of soil samples besides ground water s...