Effect of methyl tert‐butyl ether in standard tests for mutagenicity and environmental toxicity

Abstract

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is a synthetic compound that is used as a technological solution to problems created by air pollution from vehicle emissions. An important source of MTBE in the environment is leakage from underground storage tanks at gasoline stations or accidents during gasoline transport. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of MTBE leakage for the environment using the Microtox (Vibrio fischeri) toxicity test, Lactuca sativa seed germination test, and Ames bacterial mutagenicity test with Salmonella typhimurium his(-) strains TA98, TA100, YG1041, and YG1042, using both standard plate and preincubation protocols. The result of Microtox expressed as EC(50) was 33 mg (MTBE)/L. The effect of all tested MTBE concentration (0.05, 0.50, and 1.00% v/v) on Lactuca sativa roots elongation was negative and proved its toxicity. The highest tested concentration of MTBE that could be tested in Ames test was 3 mg (MTBE)/plate, because of cytotoxicity. No mutagenic response was observed at this or lower concentrations in any of the four strains used.

Toxic effect of methyl tert-butyl ether on growth of soil isolate Pseudomonas veronii T1/1

“…veronii T1/1 is more sensitive to MTBE than the Photobacterium phosphoreum used in the Microtox test. Other Microtox test results with Vibrio fischeri gave EC 50 values of 0.3744 mM (15 min) (Vosahlikova et al 2006) and 0.1361 mM (30 min) (Mezcua et al 2002). The latter values are two orders of magnitude lower than the EC 50 in this present study, and thus the Ps.…”

“…Growth inhibition and toxicity were previously observed in Streptomyces sp. isolates (Bonjar 2005), Photobacterium phosphoreum (Gupta and Lin 1995), Vibrio fischeri (Mezcua et al 2002;Vosahlikova et al 2006) and Pseudomonas putida strain KT2440 (Krayl et al 2003).…”

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of Methylibium petroleiphilum PM1 Exposed to the Fuel Oxygenates Methyl tert -Butyl Ether and Ethanol

“…MTBE was one of the major oxygenates incorporated into reformulated gasoline to increase the fuel's oxygen content and decrease carbon monoxide and ozone emissions. MTBE and its primary metabolite tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) are suspected and known carcinogens, respectively (1,7,31,57). Recently, alternative oxygenates, such as ethanol, have been substituted for MTBE, but because of the very slow depletion of contaminant mass from spill areas under anoxic conditions, the impacts of MTBE on the subsurface will be felt for many years and likely decades to come (8,29).…”

ETBE (ethyl tert butyl ether) and TAME (tert amyl methyl ether) affect microbial community structure and function in soils

“…An [16] and An and Lee [17] observed restless behaviour of earthworms and significant changes in their morphology, particularly coiling, blooding, swelling and fragmentation into two pieces, after exposition to MTBE. In addition, reduced seed germination, seedling growth, and roots elongation have been reported for wild oats, sweet corn, wheat, and lettuce [18,19]. Also the soil microflora can be negatively influenced by MTBE as shown by Shahidi Bonjar [20] and Bartos et al [21] in growth inhibition tests with pure cultures using Fusarium solani, Erwinia carotovora, Streptomyces spp.…”