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

[806228] Ramaswami本研究的目的是研究植被在自然环境中作为控制甲基叔丁基醚（MTBE）转运和转化的潜在重要因素。虽然汽油添加剂MTBE在减少汽车排放的空气污染物方面有效，但在全国各地的地下水和地表水中都检测到它的存在。很明显，点源污染不能解释观测结果，并提出大气MTBE的非点源沉积。植被被认为在MTBE的转运和转化中都起作用。本研究的目的是了解这一作用，目的如下：1)研究大气和水体之间MTBE转移的潜在植被诱导途径，包括从地下水到空气的蒸腾作用，以及空气中MTBE的叶面吸收；2)评估MTBE在植物中移动的命运，并确定MTBE在植物根际微生物降解的增强程度；3)评估上述因素并将其纳入描述MTBE在大气和地下水系统之间的命运和运输的数学模型。所获得的知识可用于开发综合模型来描述MTBE对环境的影响，并用于开发基于植物的地下水处理植物修复系统。PI的这一新研究方向借鉴了她在硒植物修复和MTBE运输方面的工作，并为她成为这一研究领域的领导者提供了潜力。

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.