Encyclopedia entry
Phytoremediation of Methyl Tertiary‐Butyl Ether
Water Encyclopedia, pp.385-397
John Wiley & Sons, Inc
04/15/2005
DOI: 10.1002/047147844X.gw2209
Abstract
The capability of plants to remediate methyl tertiary‐butyl ether (MTBE) at contaminated sites is promising to the point that at least one field test is underway and others anticipated. Both hybrid poplar (Populus deltoides × Populus nigra ‘DN34’ ‘Imperial Carolina’) cuttings and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) facilitate the removal of MTBE from saturated soil in the laboratory. The primary removal of MTBE is by soil volatilization facilitated by plant transpiration. Very little of the contaminant is metabolized or accumulated in laboratory studies. The MTBE that volatilizes and the small amount that diffuses from stems or transpires through leaves do not represent a risk in the atmosphere due to the rapid dispersion and degradation. Despite the different behavior of MTBE in groundwater, plants, and the atmosphere, concurrent phytoremediation of gasoline spills containing MTBE and other contaminants is expected to be very useful in the future.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Phytoremediation of Methyl Tertiary‐Butyl Ether
- Creators
- S.K Winnike‐McMillanQ ZhangL. C DavisL. E EricksonJ. L Schnoor
- Contributors
- Jay H Lehr (Editor) - Environmental Education EnterprisesJack Keeley (Editor) - Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Laboratory
- Resource Type
- Encyclopedia entry
- Publication Details
- Water Encyclopedia, pp.385-397
- DOI
- 10.1002/047147844X.gw2209
- Publisher
- John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Hoboken, NJ, USA
- Number of pages
- 13
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 04/15/2005
- Academic Unit
- Civil and Environmental Engineering; Occupational and Environmental Health
- Record Identifier
- 9983997979202771
Metrics
52 Record Views