Why choose Ethanol over MTBE?
Ethanol is the most likely replacement of MTBE in reformulated gasoline. It behaves better in groundwater and has fewer public health concerns, although ethanol has encountered issues with its effects on air quality, supply and distribution, and economics. In respect to protecting water resources, ethanol has several advantages over MTBE. Like MTBE, ethanol/ gasoline blends are absorbed into the groundwater, but ethanol is highly biodegradable and transforms into harmless byproducts before potential receptors are invaded by plumes. It also does not exhibit a taste or odor when present in water, unlike MTBE. In respect to air quality, ethanol has several disadvantages when compared to MTBE. One particular disadvantage is that ethanol may retard biodegradation of benzene, a known carcinogen, thus allowing benzene plumes to spread further when gasoline is spilled. Ethanol use can also increase VOC emissions and overall toxic air emissions when compared to RFG containing MTBE. It also incr
