Question

The contaminant not present in leaking gasoline is}

• A. benzene
• B. ethanol
• C. toluene
• D. methyl tertiary butyl ether

Hint:

BTEX compounds (Benzene, Toluene, etc.) and MTBE are major gasoline contaminants—remember this group.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept: Gasoline is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons and additives, and when it leaks, the environmental contamination is mainly due to its toxic and persistent organic components. Step 1:Identify typical toxic components in gasoline spills.
Leaked gasoline introduces volatile and harmful compounds into soil and groundwater, especially aromatic hydrocarbons and oxygenates that resist rapid degradation.
Step 2:Evaluate each substance based on environmental impact.

• Benzene → Highly toxic, carcinogenic aromatic compound commonly present in gasoline
• Toluene → Volatile hydrocarbon contributing to pollution
• MTBE (methyl tert-butyl ether) → Persistent additive that contaminates groundwater

Step 3:Assess ethanol separately.
Ethanol is commonly blended into fuel as an additive to improve combustion efficiency and is less persistent in the environment compared to other gasoline constituents, so it is not a typical long-term contaminant marker in spills.