Disposition, metabolism, and toxicity of methyl tertiary butyl ether, an oxygenate for reformulated gasoline

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health
D E HutcheonJ Boyle

Abstract

Studies of the toxicology of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) were reviewed as a possible information base for evaluating the health effects of evaporative emissions from reformulated gasoline (RFG). The major metabolites of the oxidative demethylation of MTBE in vivo were methanol and tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA), whereas formaldehyde and TBA were the principal products of hepatic microsomal oxidation by cytochrome P-450. Pharmacokinetic studies in rats treated with intragastric MTBE in corn oil gave an initial disposition T1/2 for MTBE of 0.32 h. The decline in the serum drug versus time curve for MTBE in rats was accompanied by a progressive increase in serum methanol concentrations to levels more than 50-200 times those of the parent compound. Repeated exposure of MTBE vapor by inhalation in rats resulted in dose-dependent increases in MTBE in the blood, brain, and adipose tissue compartments. Blood concentrations of TBA were also dose dependent and provided an estimate of the total amount of MTBE distributed to peripheral drug metabolizing compartments. Perirenal fat/blood MTBE concentration ratios ranged from 9.7 to 11.6 after 15 wk of intermittent exposure. During an oxyfuels program in Fairbanks, AK, blood levels of o...Continue Reading

Citations

Jun 24, 2008·Journal of Medical Toxicology : Official Journal of the American College of Medical Toxicology·Scott PhillipsAaron Brody
Apr 13, 1999·Gastroenterology Clinics of North America·D E Howard, H Fromm
Feb 24, 1998·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·A VojdaniN Brautbar
Dec 5, 2000·Environmental Health Perspectives·S A SowerK J Babbitt
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Feb 24, 2001·Environmental Pollution·I WernerD E Hinton
Mar 1, 1997·Environmental Health Perspectives·D B Menkes, J P Fawcett

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