We have isolated a mixed bacterial culture (BC-1) which is capable of degrading the gasoline oxygenate methyl t-butyl ether (MTBE). BC-1 was developed from seed microorganisms present in a chemical plant biotreater sludge. This enrichment culture has been maintained in continuous culture treating high concentrations of MTBE (120 to 200 mg/liter) as the sole carbon source in a simple feed contai...

A methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) / tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) plume originating from a gasoline spill in late 1994 at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) persisted for over 15 years within 200 feet of the original spill source. The plume persisted until 2010 despite excavation of the tanks and piping within months after the spill and excavations of additional contaminated sediments from the source a...

background: soil serves as a major reservoir for contaminants as it can bind to various chemicals. the aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of some metals (cd, cu, fe and v) in soil samples collected from different stations of ahvaz industrial complex ii to determine the natural and anthropogenic contribution of metal in the soil. methods: this was an experimental study that carried out...

This research is focused on determination of toxicity, genotoxicity and discovery of MTBE-degrading bacterial strains. Toxicity was detected using bacterial luminescent method Microtox while genotoxicity was monitored by Ames test with Salmonella typhimurium his (TA 98, TA 100, YG 1041 and YG 1042) as indicator strains. Potential MTBE-degrading strains were tested by Bioscreen. This method moni...

As the number of leaking underground fuel tank sites with MTBE contamination continues to grow, there is a need to develop cost-effective solutions for treatment of soil and water contamination. MTBE poses special challenges due to its physicochemical properties, in particular high solubility and low Henry’s constant, low affinity for sorption, and very slow rate of microbial degradation. Advan...