Understanding the limitations of microbial metabolism of ethers used as fuel octane enhancers

Recent reports on the microbial degradation of alkyl ether octane enhancers indicate that the metabolism of these compounds in soils and biosludges is uncommon and relatively slow under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. A mixed bacterial culture has now been isolated that can completely mineralize the branched alkyl ether methyl tertiary butyl ether, and the ether-cleaving activity of this culture appears to be subject to feedback regulation by metabolites. In addition, this type of alkyl ether degradation appears to be different from both alkyl-aryl ether cleaving and aromatic hydrocarbon oxygenase activities reported in other microbial systems.