Health Effects of MTBE Among New Jersey Garage Workers

Abstract

AbstractMethyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) is an oxygenated additive used in the 1993 wintertime oxyfuel program to reduce tailpipe carbon monoxide emissions. Because of complaints of acute health symptoms, particularly in the state of Alaska, this program was terminated prematurely in that state. We designed a cross-sectional cohort study of self-reported symptoms of garage workers in the state of New Jersey exposed to high and low MJBE concentration environments. Two hundred and thirty-seven participants were divided into 2 groups: 115 workers in northern New jersey sampled during the wintertime oxyfuel program, and 122 workers in southern New jersey 10 wk after the phase-out date for the program in that area. The outcome measures included a list of symptoms, of which some were felt to be attributable to MTBE exposure. Participants were asked to indicate the frequency of those symptoms they had experienced over the last 30 days. In addition, workers were given identical preshilt and postshift questionna...