POWRE: Investigating the Impact of Vegetation on Transport and Fate of Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE) in the Environment

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9806228 Ramaswami The objective of this research is to examine vegetation as a potentially important factor controlling transport and transformations of Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) in the natural environment. While the gasoline additive MTBE has been effective in reducing air polluting emissions from automobiles, its presence has been detected in groundwater and surface waters across the nation. It is apparent that point source contamination does not explain the observations and that non-point deposition of atmospheric MTBE is suggested. Vegetation is thought to play a role in both the transport and the transformation of MTBE. It is the aim of this research to understand that role, with the following objectives: 1) examine potential vegetation-induced pathways for transfer of MTBE between the atmosphere and bodies of water, including the transpiration from groundwater to air, as well as foliar uptake of air-borne MTBE, 2) assess the fate of MTBE as it moves through the plant and determine enhanced microbial degradation of MTBE in the plant rhizosphere and 3) assess the above factors and incorporate them into mathematical models that describe the fate and transport of MTBE between the atmosphere and groundwater systems. The knowledge gained may be applied toward development of integrated models to describe the impact of MTBE on the environment and to the development of plant-based phytoremediation systems for groundwater treatment. This new line of inquiry for the PI draws on her work with Se phytoremediation and MTBE transport and provides the potential for her to become a leader in this area of research.