Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2010NJ221B

Comparative toxicological assessment of gasoline oxygenates MTBE, ETBE and TAME, and their metabolites, in the zebrafish cardiovascular system

Institute: New Jersey
Year Established: 2010 Start Date: 2010-03-01 End Date: 2011-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $5,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $10,000

Principal Investigators: Josephine Bonventre, Keith Cooper

Abstract: The research proposed here addresses the first priority of the Water Resources Research Act regarding consequences of potential contaminants to water supplies and toxicological impacts on aquatic species. This project compares the toxicological effects of common gasoline oxygenates, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE) and tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME), on developing zebrafish (Danio rerio) using morphological and molecular endpoints. In 2008, total production of these specific gasoline oxygenates was approximately 50 thousand barrels per day in the United States (DOE-EIA, 2008). These compounds are currently used in New Jersey and may pose a threat to groundwater and surface water quality. The toxicological studies proposed here may be helpful in risk assessment and developing regulations for gasoline oxygenate use in the future.