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Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether

CAS Number

1634-04-4

Synonym

Methyl tert-butyl ether; Methyl t-butyl ether; Tert-butyl methyl ether; T-butyl methyl ether; MTBE; 2-methoxy-2-methylpropane; Methyl-tert-butyl ether; methyl 1,1-dimethylethyl ether; 2-methyl-2-methoxypropane

Occurrence/Use

Gasoline additive (oxygenate; improves octane ratings and reduces pollutant emission); medicine (dissolves cholesterol gall stones)

Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether

Soil Screening

Last CHHSL revision: 
1/2005
CHHSL Comments: 

For chemical-specific screening levels for use in assessing contaminated sites, please see HHRA Note 3 (DTSC HERO). https://www.dtsc.ca.gov/assessingrisk/humanrisk2.cfm

Cancer Potency Information

Inhalation Unit Risk (μg/cubic meter)-1: 
2.6 E-7
Inhalation Slope Factor (mg/kg-day)-1: 
1.8 E-3
Oral Slope Factor (mg/kg-day)-1: 
1.8 E-3
Comments/References: 

OEHHA 2009. Air Toxics Hot Spots Program Technical Support Document for Cancer Potencies. Appendix B. Chemical-specific summaries of the information used to derive unit risk and cancer potency values. Updated 2011.

Listed as Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE).

 

OEHHA 1999. Public Health Goal for Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) in Drinking Water.

Air

Chronic REL

Chronic Inhalation REL (μg/m3): 
8000
Chronic Target Organs: 
Kidney; eyes; alimentary system (liver)
Human Data: 
No
Last Chronic REL Revision: 
2000
Chronic Reference Exposure Levels Comments: 

Proposition 65

Chemical Status

Cancer: 
Considered, but not listed
Reproductive Toxicity: 
Considered, but not listed

Documents, Presentations, and Publications

Cancer: 
Reproductive Toxicity: 

Public notices related to this chemical: 

Water

California Public Health Goals Data

Health Risk Category: 
Carcinogenicity
Public Health Goal (mg/L): 
0.013
Public Health Goal - Download: 
Cancer Risk at PHG: 
0.000001
MCL value (mg/L): 
0.013
Cancer Risk at MCL: 
0.000001
Last PHG Revision : 
1999
California PHG Comments: