NATURAL ATTENUATION AND MICROBIAL DEGRADATION OF MTBE IN THE SANDSTONE MATRIX OF THE PATIÑO AQUIFER, PARAGUAY
Juan Francisco Facetti, Felix Carvallo, Cynthia Bernal, Regina Leon-Ovelar
Pages: 1-6
Received: 2 May 2025
Published: 3 Dec 2025
DOI: 10.62991/ES1996598692
Views: 270
Downloads: 37
Abstract: This study investigates the natural attenuation and microbial degradation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) in the Patiño Aquifer, Paraguay, following the phase-out of MTBE in gasoline in 2016. The aquifer’s sandstone matrix, characterized by interconnected pores and redox-active minerals, facilitates microbial colonization and abiotic degradation. Sampling campaigns revealed a decline in MTBE detection from 44% to 17.8% of monitored wells, alongside increased detection of degradation products tert-butyl formate (TBF) and tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) in 72% and 21% of samples, respectively. MTBE decline in Patiño Aquifer linked to discontinued use (halting inputs), enhanced microbial degradation (aerobic/anaerobic pathways producing TBA/TBF), natural attenuation (first-order kinetics aided by hydrology/redox shifts), and minor abiotic oxidation. Adsorption was negligible due to MTBE’s low sandstone affinity. The metabolite shifts reflect reduced anthropogenic inputs, biological breakdown, and hydrogeochemical dynamics. This interplay underscores the aquifer’s capacity for MTBE transformation via integrated microbial activity, environmental conditions, and source cessation.
Keywords: sandstone, mtbe, tba, tbf, natural attenuation, microbial degradation
Cite this article: Juan Francisco Facetti, Felix Carvallo, Cynthia Bernal, Regina Leon-Ovelar. NATURAL ATTENUATION AND MICROBIAL DEGRADATION OF MTBE IN THE SANDSTONE MATRIX OF THE PATIÑO AQUIFER, PARAGUAY. Journal of International Scientific Publications: Ecology & Safety 19, 1-6 (2025). https://doi.org/10.62991/ES1996598692
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