Anaerobic biodegradation of gasoline oxygenates in soils

Journal Article · · Water Environment Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2175/WER.66.5.11· OSTI ID:7079041

Yeh, C K; Novak, J T ^[1]

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1. Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ., Blacksburg, VA (United States)

This study evaluated the biodegradation of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE), and tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA)-three chemicals used as gasoline additives. The biodegradation under sulfate reducing, methanogenic and denitrifying conditions was measured in static soil and water microcosms using soils of different origin and varying characteristics. The results indicate that TBA was the easiest compound to biodegrade, whereas MTBE was the most recalcitrant. It is thought that cleavage of the ether bond in MTBE and ETBE is the first and rate-limiting step in the degradation of these organics, TBA degradation was enhanced by nutrient addition in the nutrient poor soils but hindered by the presence of other easily-degraded organic compounds. Degradation of MTBE and ETBE occurred only in the soil with the lowest organic matter content and with a pH around 5.5. No degradation of MTBE and ETBE was observed in the organic-rich soils, and in the organically poor soil the addition of easily degradable organic compounds inhibited MTBE and ETBE degradation. 30 refs., 12 figs., 2 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 7079041
• Journal Information: Water Environment Research; (United States), Vol. 66:5; ISSN 1061-4303
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
02 PETROLEUM
BUTANOLS
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
BIODEGRADATION
ETHERS
ADDITIVES
BACTERIA
COMPILED DATA
DENITRIFICATION
GASOLINE
LAND POLLUTION CONTROL
PH VALUE
SOILS
ALCOHOLS
BIOCONVERSION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTROL
DATA
DECOMPOSITION
DIGESTION
FUELS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
LIQUID FUELS
MANAGEMENT
MICROORGANISMS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POLLUTION CONTROL
PROCESSING
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
540220* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
550200 - Biochemistry
550700 - Microbiology
020900 - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects