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 TBE is a
gasoline additive (an oxygenate) that is used to enhance combustion and improve air quality.
Because of its presence in all California Phase II Gasoline, MTBE has the potential for widespread environmental
distribution, placing animals and ecosystems at risk of exposure. MTBE has
relatively high water solubility and vapor pressure and may be toxic;
scientists and citizens alike are concerned that air, potable water supplies
and recreational water bodies are targets for MTBE contamination.
MTBE has been detected in lakes, reservoirs, and groundwater
used as potable water supplies. In some cases, MTBE concentrations
have exceeded California state action levels for both "taste and odor"
and "human health".
The passage of SB 521 enabled
the state of California, through the University's Toxic Substances Research and Teaching Program (TSRTP),
to fund research related to MTBE risk assessment.
At UC Davis, researchers have used those and additional sources of funding, including from the
National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA),
the Office of the President of the University of California (UCOP) and the American Petroleum Institute (API)
to study a number of areas:
assess current levels of MTBE in drinking water supplies
better characterize sources, transport, transformation, and fate of MTBE
clairfy the role of MTBE in environmental toxicology and assess risks of exposure
develop technical and policy options and recommendations
develop remediation technologies for MTBE
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This website was made possible by Grant Number 5 P42 ES004699 from the
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences with funding provided by the EPA, and from funds provided
to the UC Toxic Substances Research and Training Program through Senate Bill 521 (SB 521). Its contents
are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIEHS,
NIH, EPA, any agency of the State of California, nor the University of California. The information, conclusions,
and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and contributors of information.
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