Laserfiche WebLink
CALIFORNIA REGION-WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD CaUEPA <br /> ' = *• CENTRAL VALLEY REGION <br /> f, <br /> - _ 3443 Rouucr Road,Suite.4 <br /> Sacramento, CA 95827-3098 <br /> Phone(916) 255-3000 <br /> FAX(916) 255-3015 Pete walsoa,Goverrar <br /> 18 July 1997 <br /> To Whom It May Concern <br /> ANALYSIS REQUIRED FOR OXYGENATE COMPOUNDS USED IN CALIFORNIA <br /> GASOLINE - EPA METHOD 8260 <br /> At a recent meeting at the Department of Health Services in Berkeley,the statewide analytical <br /> methods committee for establishing analytical TPH and additive standards, was informed that <br /> oxygenate compounds, other than MTBE,have been and are being added to California <br /> gasoline which may constitute a threat to groundwaters. The list includes,in order of <br /> analytical identification: <br /> 1. Methanol <br /> 2. Ethanol <br /> 3. Tertiary Butanol <br /> a. MTBE <br /> 5. Di-isopropyl ether (DIPE) <br /> 6. Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (ETBE) <br /> 7. Tertiary Amyl Methyl Esher (TAME) <br /> The zrst three are alcohols and the latter four are ether compounds. Ethanol has been used for <br /> several years in California. MTBE, as you know,has been used as an octane enhancer additive <br /> since the late 1970s and is now used at a higher percentage as-an oxygenate in gasoline. Since <br /> 1995,T_.ME,manufactured by Chevron,has been added to California fuels. DIPE has been <br /> used on the East Coast,buff recently has been found in Southern California ground water (May <br /> 1997). To date,we have no information regarding the use of ETRE in California_ <br /> T"ne introduction of these additives present analytical problems for laboratories because of the <br /> number of analyses required and internal interference. For instance,T_ -X/M is difficult to <br /> distinguish because it co-elutes with benzene in the EPA-8020 analytical method commonly <br /> used today. Therefore, the analytical methods committee concurred that EPA-8260 is required <br /> to determine which compound has been used. This analytical method will likely increase the <br /> cost of sample analysis;but,until another comprehensive analytical method is developed that <br /> can distinguish between the compounds,EPA 8260 is the single,provisional method of <br /> analysis for these compounds. <br /> This problem is further compounded because the oil refineries ship gasoline around the state <br /> and then trade gasoline between aeon mss.s. For instance,if gasoiine is needed the <br /> San Francisco Bay area by Shell, Shell ivill obtain some gasoline from, sav, Chevron in the Bav <br /> area and, in exchange, Chevron will receive some Shell gasoline in Southern California. The <br /> Rec;cled?aper Our mission s to preserve and enhance the quality of Calfforma's wares resources.and <br /> ensue:herr groper allorarion and I icenr use,or the benefit of nreseru and lunge�eneradonx. <br />