Impacts of Recreational Watercraft Use on Concentrations of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) in Surface Waters in Texas
Date
2001-08
Authors
Blair, Michele
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Abstract
To determine whether motorized watercraft are a major factor in MTBE surface water contamination through recreation, surface water samples were collected in a multipurpose reservoir (Lake Austin) during periods of high and low recreational watercraft use. A non-parametric, one-tailed, Mann-Whitney U two-sample analysis was used to determine if there was a significant difference between the summer and winter sampling. Concentrations of MTBE above the Texas taste and odor criteria of 15 ppb were not found in Lake Austin. Although a significant difference was found between the summer and winter concentrations (1.48 ppb) of MTBE (p<0001), MTBE contamination due to motorized recreational boating did not pose a health threat in Texas.
Description
Keywords
butyl methyl ether, water pollution, motorboats, lakes, Austin, Texas
Citation
Blair, M. (2001). Impacts of recreational watercraft use on concentrations of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) in surface waters in Texas (Unpublished thesis). Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.