Gasoline Aromatics: the New Lead?

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September 21, 2015

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(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) After scientists found that toxic lead particles in engine exhaust were accumulating in bodies and affecting brain health, amendments to the Clean Air Act 25 years ago prohibited the use of lead in gasoline. Children were especially vulnerable, exhibiting lower IQ levels and more antisocial behaviors.

Lead was added to gasoline to raise its octane level, making it less prone to uncontrolled combustion (known as knocking), which can damage engines. Higher octane levels also allow for more fuel-efficient engine designs. With lead no longer an option, oil companies switched to gasoline aromatics to boost octane levels. Aromatics are a mixture of benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene, and now comprise 25 to 30 percent of the volume of gasoline.

Unfortunately, researchers are increasingly finding that gasoline aromatics are just as dangerous as lead. They contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone and of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a known neurotoxin. Ground-level ozone and PAHs have been linked to a multitude of health and developmental issues, including autism, ADHD, cardio-pulmonary effects, and cancers.

According to EPA calculations, 45 million Americans live, work, or attend school in close proximity to a major roadway, where they are exposed to the health risks of aromatics.

Despite the clear health benefits of doing so, oil companies are reluctant to dispense with aromatics, as they are effective at providing the higher octane levels needed to meet strict fuel economy standards.

Biofuels are also an excellent source of octane, however, and they are cheaper and cleaner than aromatics. An EESI briefing, Future Fuels: Can Biofuels Make Gasoline Cleaner, Cheaper?, and fact sheet, High Octane Fuels: Challenges & Opportunities, highlighted the many benefits of switching to sustainable biofuel as an octane booster. READ MORE

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