WEBVTT - What is the problem with MTBE in gasoline?

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<v Speaker 1>stuff works dot com where smart happens. Hi Am Marshall

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<v Speaker 1>Brain with today's question, what is the problem with MTB

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<v Speaker 1>in gasoline? If you have ever pump gas that claimed

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<v Speaker 1>to be oxygenated, something that's common in most urban areas

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<v Speaker 1>in the winter, then you have probably used gasoline containing

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<v Speaker 1>mt B E. Mt B E is the acronym for

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<v Speaker 1>methyl tertiary butle ether, a fairly simple molecule that is

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<v Speaker 1>created from methanol. Mt B E gets added to gasoline

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<v Speaker 1>for two re First, it boosts octane, and second, it's

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<v Speaker 1>an oxygen eate, meaning that it adds oxygen to the

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<v Speaker 1>reaction when it burns ideally, and oxygen eate reduces the

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<v Speaker 1>amount of unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide in a car's exhaust.

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<v Speaker 1>MTB started getting added to gasoline in a big way

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<v Speaker 1>after the clean air act of into effect. Gasoline can

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<v Speaker 1>contain as much as ten to fifteen per cent MTB.

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<v Speaker 1>The main problem with MTB is that it's thought to

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<v Speaker 1>be carcinogenic and it mixes easily with water. If gasoline

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<v Speaker 1>containing MTB leaks from an underground tank at a gas station,

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<v Speaker 1>it can get into groundwater and contaminate wells. Of course,

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<v Speaker 1>MTB isn't the only thing getting into the groundwater when

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<v Speaker 1>a tank leaks, so is gasoline and a host of

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<v Speaker 1>other gasoline additives. But in recent years MTB has been

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<v Speaker 1>singled out because of the amount of it, the water solubility,

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<v Speaker 1>and the cancer risk. Many states have now banned mtv E.

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<v Speaker 1>The thing replacing it in gasoline is ethanol normal alcohol.

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<v Speaker 1>It's somewhat more expensive than mt B, but it's not

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<v Speaker 1>a cancer threat. For more on this and thousands of

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<v Speaker 1>other topics, Is It How staff works dot com. Audible

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