• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.403-413
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• 2008

Toxic effect of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) and formaldehyde (FA) on microbial activity and diversity was compared in rice field, leek patch, and tidal mud flat soil samples. MTBE, TBA and FA with different concentrations were added into microcosms containing these soil samples, and placed at room temperature for 30 days. Then the microbial activities such as dehydrogenase and viable cell numbers and microbial community using a DGGE (Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) fingerprinting method were measured. Among the samples, dehydrogenase activity in rice field was inhibited the most by MTBE, TBA and FA. The toxic effect was higher according to the following orders: FA > MTBE > TBA. Dominant species in the microcosms contaminated with MTBE, TBA and FA were Chloroflex, Bacilli, gamma-proteobacteria in the rice field sample, Sphingobacteria, Flavobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacilli, gamma-proteobacteria in the leek patch sample, and Sphingobacteria, Flavobacteria, delta-proteobacteria, gamma-proteobacteria in the tidal mud flat sample.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.336-342
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• 2008

The effect of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and its metabolites like tert-butyl alcohol (TBA), and formaldehyde (FA) on microbial activity and diversity in tidal mud flat was studied. MTBE, TBA, and FA with different concentrations were added into microcosms containing tidal mud samples, and placed at room temperature for 30 days. Then the physico-chemical properties such as pH, moisture contents and organic matter contents in the microcosms were measured. In addition, the total viable cell number and dehydrogenase activity were measured. Bacterial communities in the microcosms were monitored using a 16S rRNA-PCR-DGGE (Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) fingerprinting method. As a result, the exposure concentrations of MTBE and its metabolites showed no correlation with the physico-chemical factors (P>0.05). Dehydrogenase activity and total viable cell number were decreased with increasing MTBE, TBA and FA concentrations (P<0.05). The toxic effect was higher the following order: FA > MTBE > TBA. Dominant species in the microcosms contaminated with MTBE and its metabolites were Sphingobacteria, Flavobacteria, delta-proteobacteria, gamma-proteobacteria. The diversity of bacterial community was not significantly influenced by MTBE and its metabolites.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.387-394
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• 2008

The toxicity of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) and formaldehyde (FA) on the indigenous microbial community in forest soil was studied. MTBE, TBA and FA with different concentrations were added into microcosms containing forest soil samples. After 10 and 30 days, total viable cell number and dehydrogenase activity in the microcosms were evaluated. Bacterial communities in the microcosms were also analyzed using a denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Dehydrogenase activity and total viable cell number were decreased according to the increase of MTBE, TBA and FA concentrations (P<0.05). FA toxicity was the highest, but TBA toxicity was the lowest. The results of principal component analysis using DGGE fingerprints showed that the microbial communities contaminated MTBE, TBA and FA were grouped by exposure time not exposure concentration. Dominant species in the microcosms were as follows: Photobacterium damselae sub sp. and Bacillus sp. KAR28 for MTBE; Mycobacterium sp. and Uncultured Clostridium sp. for TBA; and Uncultured Paenibacillaceae bacterium and Anxynobacillus, Flavithermus for FA.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.136-139
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• 2001

In this study, we have examined potential degradation of MTBE (methy1 tert-butyl ether) by pure culture ENV425 and mixed culture isolated from gasoline contaminated soil using n-butane as the sources of carbon and energy. The results described in this study suggest that MTBE is degraded cometabolically by ENV425 and mixed culture grown n-butane, and the disappearance of TBA after complete degradation of MTBE suggest the further degradation of TBA. Butane and MTBE degradation was completely inhibited by acetylene, which indicated that both substrates were degraded by butane-utilizing bacteria. MTBE was degraded ENV425 and mixed culture grown n-butane, and TBA (tert-butyl alcohol) was produced as product of MTBE oxidation. TBA production was accounted 54.7% and 58.6% for MTBE oxidation by ENV425 and mixed culture, respectively. The observed maximal transformation yield (T$_{y}$) were 44.7 and 34.0 (nmol MTRE degraded/$\mu$mol n-butane Utilized) by ENV425 and mixed culture, respectively.y.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.216-220
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• 2021

The effect of tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) as a freezing solvent on the pore structure of a porous tungsten body prepared by freeze-drying is analyzed. TBA slurries with a WO3 content of 10 vol% are prepared by mixing with a small amount of dispersant and binder at 30℃. The slurries are frozen at -25℃, and pores are formed in the frozen specimens by the sublimation of TBA during drying in air. After hydrogen reduction at 800℃ and sintering at 1000℃, the green body of WO₃ is completely converted to porous W with various pore structures. Directional pores from the center of the specimen to the outside are observed in the sintered bodies because of the columnar growth of TBA. A decrease in pore directionality and porosity is observed in the specimens prepared by long-duration drying and sintering. The change in pore structure is explained by the growth of the freezing solvent and densification.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.162-170
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• 1993

Vapor-phase ETBE(ethyl tert-butyl ether) synthesis from TBA(tert-butyl alcohol) and ethanol was carried over solid acid catalysts such as heteropoly acids and proton type zeolites. Heteropoly acids were more active than proton type zeolites and $H_4SiW_{12}O_{40}$ catalyst showed about the same activity as Amberlyst-15 ion exchange resin catalyst used as an industrial catalyst in ETBE synthesis. The catalytic activity of transition metal exchanged heteropoly acids was greatly enhanced, because new acid site was generated with hydrogen reduction. This effect of hydrogen reduction was related to the reduction characteristics of catalysts and the order of reducibility was $Ag^+$>$Cu^{2+}$>$Fe^{2+}$.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.649-656
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• 1992

The synthesis of epichlorohydrin was carried out by the epoxidation of allyl chloride with tert-butyl hydroperoxide(TBHP) over silica supported molybdenum catalyst. Kinetic study was performed at $60-80^{\circ}C$ and 10 atm with the molar ratio of TBHP/Allyl chloride between 0.01 and 0.1 in a batch reactor. The epoxidation of allyl chloride was inhibited by tert-butyl alcohol and kinetic data could be represented by Michaelis-Meten type rate equation. The reaction mechanism could be explained by the combination of reversible adsorption of TBHP and tert-butyl alcohol accompanied by reaction of allyl chloride with TBHP adsorbed on $Mo/SiO_2$ catalyst.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.3049-3052
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• 2009

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is added to gasoline to enhance the octane number of gasoline, tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) is major degradation intermediate of MTBE in environment, and benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene (BTEX) are also major constituents of gasoline. In this study, a simplified headspace analysis method was adapted for simultaneous determination of MTBE, TBA and BTEX in ground water samples. The sample 5.0 mL and 2 g NaCl were placed in a 10 mL vial and the solution was spiked with fluorobenzene as an internal standard and sealed with a cap. The vial was placed in a heating block at 85 $^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. The detection limits of the assay were 0.01 ${\mu}$g/L for MTBE and BTEX, and 0.02 ${\mu}$g/L for TBA. The method was used to analyze 110 ground water samples from various regions in Korea, and to survey the their background concentration in ground water in Korea. The samples revealed MTBE concentrations in the range of 0.01 - 0.45 ${\mu}$g/L (detection frequency of 57.3%), TBA concentrations in the range of 0.02 - 0.08 ${\mu}$g/L (detection frequency of 5.5%), and total BTEX concentrations in the range of 0.01 - 2.09 ${\mu}$g/L (detection frequency of 87.3%). The developed method may be used when simultaneously determining the amount of MTBE, TBA and BTEX in water.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.31-41
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• 2001

In this study, we have examined the potential degradation of MTBE(methyl tert-butyl ether) by pure culture ENV425 and mixed culture obtained from gasoline contaminated soil using n-butane as the sources of carbon and energy. The results described in this study suggest that MTBE is degraded cometabolically by ENV425 and mixed culture grown on n-butane. Butane and MTBE degradation was completely inhibited by acetylene, which indicated that both substrates were degraded by butane monooxygenase. These cultures grown on n-butane generated TBA (tert-butyl alcohol) as a metabolite of MTBE oxidation. TBA Production was accounted 54.7% and 58.6% for MTBE oxidation by ENV425 and mixed culture, respectively. In resting cell experiments, however, TBA and TBF were detected as the oxidation products of MTBE by ENV425 and mixed culture. The observed maximal MTBE degradation rates were 52.3 and 62.3 (nmol MTBE degraded/hr/mg TSS) by ENV425 and mixed culture, respectively, and the observed maximal transformation yields ($T_y$) were 44.7 and 34.0 (nmol MTBE degraded/$\mu$mol n-butane utilized), and the observed maximal transformation capacities ($T_c$) were 199 and 226 ($\mu$mol MTBE degraded/mg TSS used).

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.1693-1698
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• 2012

A headspace gas chromatographic mass spectrometric (GC-MS) assay method was developed for the simultaneous determination of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), $tert$-butyl alcohol (TBA) and benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene (BTEX) in soil contaminated with gasoline. 2 g of soil sample were placed in a 10 mL headspace vial filled with 5 mL of phosphoric acid solution (pH 3) saturated with NaCl, and the solution was spiked with fluorobenzene as an internal standard and sealed with a cap. The vial was heated in a heating block for 40 min at $80^{\circ}C$. The detection limits of the assay were 0.08-0.12 ${\mu}g$/kg for the analytes. For five independent determinations at 10 and 50 ${\mu}g$/kg, the relative standard deviations were less than 10%. The method was used to analyze fifty six soil samples collected from various regions contaminated with gasoline in Korea. The developed method may be valuable for the monitoring of the analytes in soil.