Vapor intrusion risk of fuel ether oxygenates methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME) and ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE): A modeling study

Jie Ma; Desen Xiong; Haiyan Li; Yi Ding; Xiangcheng Xia; Yongqi Yang

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.02.057

Vapor intrusion risk of fuel ether oxygenates methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME) and ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE): A modeling study

J Hazard Mater. 2017 Jun 15:332:10-18. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.02.057. Epub 2017 Feb 28.

Authors

Jie Ma¹, Desen Xiong², Haiyan Li², Yi Ding², Xiangcheng Xia², Yongqi Yang²

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Beijing Key Lab of Oil & Gas Pollution Control, China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing 102249, China; State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Pollution Control, China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing 102249, China. Electronic address: rubpmj@sina.com.
² State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Beijing Key Lab of Oil & Gas Pollution Control, China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing 102249, China.

PMID: 28279869
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.02.057

Abstract

Vapor intrusion of synthetic fuel additives represents a critical yet still neglected problem at sites contaminated by petroleum fuel releases. This study used an advanced numerical model to investigate the vapor intrusion potential of fuel ether oxygenates methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME), and ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE). Simulated indoor air concentration of these compounds can exceed USEPA indoor air screening level for MTBE (110μg/m³). Our results also reveal that MTBE has much higher chance to cause vapor intrusion problems than TAME and ETBE. This study supports the statements made by USEPA in the Petroleum Vapor Intrusion (PVI) Guidance that the vertical screening criteria for petroleum hydrocarbons may not provide sufficient protectiveness for fuel additives, and ether oxygenates in particular. In addition to adverse impacts on human health, ether oxygenate vapor intrusion may also cause aesthetic problems (i.e., odour and flavour). Overall, this study points out that ether oxygenates can cause vapor intrusion problems. We recommend that USEPA consider including the field measurement data of synthetic fuel additives in the existing PVI database and possibly revising the PVI Guidance as necessary.

Keywords: Fuel oxygenates; Mathematical model; Odour; Simulation; Vapor intrusion.