Chemical and Pathogenic Contaminant Exposure: MTBE and other Volatile Organic Compounds

There are many different volatile organic compounds in common usage throughout our society in industry as well as at our homes. These compounds also vary in toxicity and behavior in the environment making some more threatening to drinking water supplies than others. The USEPA has determined Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for some VOCs; however, many do not have MCLs.

The USGS provides occurrence data and information on VOCs in environmental, untreated, and treated drinking water throughout the United States regardless of whether there is an associated MCL. U.S. Geological Research also includes more detailed studies on movement of VOCs in the environment.

In Drinking Water:

• National survey of VOCs in community water systems
• Northeast and mid-Atlantic states
• Domestic wells of the United States
• Public supply wells in California
• Historical trends of halogenated VOCs in untreated ground water used as drinking water in the United States
• Volatile Organic Compounds in the Nation’s Ground Water and Drinking-Water Supply Wells

Sources, environmental occurrence, fate and transport:

• Shallow ground water in Pennsylvania and Maryland
• Volatile Organic Compounds in the Nation’s Ground Water and Drinking-Water Supply Wells

Other Sources of USGS Information on Volatile Organic Compounds:

• National Water Quality Assessment VOC National Synthesis
• Human-health effects of MTBE: A literature summary

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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://health.usgs.gov/dw_contaminants/mtbe.html
Page Contact Information: Herb Buxton
Page Last Modified: 15-Jun-2006@08:37