Can MTBE in drinking water affect my health?
Short-term health effects from high levels of MTBE in water could include nervous system effects, dizziness, headaches, nausea, and throat irritation. Kidney and liver effects, including cancer, have been seen in laboratory animals given high doses of MTBE over long periods of time. MTBE causes cancer in animals but there is not enough information to determine if it causes cancer in humans.
What are the potential environmental impacts of MTBE?
Studies show that MTBE may interfere with normal development, reproduction and endocrine system function in fish. The presence of MTBE, in combination with other pollutants such as pesticides, may increase the harm done to fish and other animals living in lakes and streams.
How does MTBE get into the environment and how long does
it stay in the environment?
When it was used in gasoline in Minnesota, MTBE usually got into the environment from spills or leaking gasoline tanks or pipelines, as well as evaporating into the air during refueling at gas stations. Some industrial operations also released MTBE.
Spilled or leaked MTBE often moves from soil into groundwater or surface water. It dissolves in water easily and moves very quickly in the groundwater. While it can evaporate into the air from surface water, MTBE does not break down rapidly in groundwater. Once in groundwater, it can stay for a long time, up to months or years.
How am I exposed to MTBE?
MTBE dissolves in water easily and evaporates from water or soil into air.1 You could be exposed to MTBE by drinking contaminated water. You could also be exposed to MTBE that enters the air when contaminated water is used for showering, washing clothes and dishes, or other household activities.
Please contact our Webmaster with questions or comments. © Copyright 2011, 2016 PracticeSurvival.com, Integrity Protection Service All rights reserved. Reproduction, printing, redistribution without expressed written permission is forbidden and illegal.
PracticeSurvival.com Disclaimer Notice
All of the information on this website is offered on the strict basis that you and others will exercise proper caution and care in doing any of the things that are presented on this site. YOU are solely responsible for the use to which you put this material. You must take responsibility for your own actions.
These pages are intended to open your eyes, begin your road to enlightenment. We are on a shoe string budget so we do our best to edit and error check, if there may be some typos for which we appologize in advance. The idea is to introduce ideas for you to investigate further and prepare you to understand his classes. Some activities related to wilderness survival and preparedness can be dangerous if done without proper care and attention. Please be careful and attentive when engaging in any of these activities.
Be reasonable, responsible, take proper precautions, and exercise common sense.
The techniques shown on this website are meant solely for use in primitive wilderness survival and emergency off grid situations. Please note that in most places it is illegal to use some of the methods suggested to capture animals unless you are actually in a life and death survival situation.
Contact Info: PO Box 1448, Bellmawr, NJ 08099 USA Email: webmaster@practicesurvival.com Phone: 856-861-0300 William R DeCuzzi