Problems with MTBE (click here)
Despite its potential benefits on air quality, MTBE has some properties that can cause problems. MTBE is much more soluble in water than most other components of gasoline. If it gets in the ground, it can travel faster and farther through groundwater than other gasoline components. This makes it more likely to contaminate public water systems and private drinking water wells if gasoline is spilled on the ground or leaks out of underground storage tanks. Even fairly small amounts of MTBE in water can give it an unpleasant taste and odor, making the water undrinkable. MTBE also does not break down (biodegrade) easily. As a result, it is harder to clean up once contamination occurs.
In the late 1990s, many community drinking water supplies in areas that used a lot of MTBE were found to have detectable levels of MTBE. Since then, MTBE use in gasoline has been phased out because of concerns about groundwater contamination. Although it is not clear what effects MTBE in drinking water might have on health, many states have passed laws limiting or banning the use of MTBEA
A study is appropriate, however, with the wide spread of contamiination in the USA there is no absolute study that would reveal it's effects. The only contained study that is possible is with animals. Those results should be extrapolated to apply to people because of the consequences.
...AThough MTBE has been used as a fuel additive since 1979, there have been no long-term studies of the ability of MTBE to cause cancer in workers or other people exposed to high concentrations. People who might have been exposed to MTBE at work often have also been exposed to a number of other chemicals, which makes studying this issue difficult....
