[BiturboS4] RE: gasoline

[Keith McCollum]

--- dano <dano at well.com> wrote:

> MTBE is not nearly so corrosive but is oxygenated. Unfortunately (and
> just like EtOH) it is also highly hydrophilic. Unfortunately many UST
> systems (underground storage tanks) leak, and when MTBE
> leaks out of USTs into ground water it is impossible to remove. (Not
> 'almost' impossible. It costs so much money and cannot be completely
> removed anyway.) It dissolves into the water and stays there. It also
> smells strongly even at low concentrations, so it's very apparent to
> the human nose. It probably has some level of toxicity, but I don't
> know about that.

I used to work with MTBE doing organic extracions back in my lab days.
5 liter jars of 99.99% pure stuff. like you said, strong odor, also an
irritant, and ohh yea it causes nervous system depression. get a good
whif and you'll be on the floor unable to get up. fun stuff. it's too
bad it's such a nasty chemical because it's a great oxygen additive.

-keith

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