Transport of methyl tert-butyl ether through alfalfa plants.

Concentrations measured in alfalfa plant stem segments indicated that plants grown in methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE)-contaminated soil took up the chemical through their roots. Assuming a cylindrical shape for the plant stem, a mathematical model was developed to describe the transport of MTBE through the stems. Simulation results from uniform and nonuniform initial concentration distributions across the stem radius were compared with steady-state experimental data. With known values of plant stem radius, water usage, water content, and the distance over which the concentration decreased by 50%, the diffusion coefficient of MTBE radial transport across the plant stem was estimated with 95% confidence to be in the range of 8.43-16.2 x 10(-8) cm2/s with a mean of 1.23 x 10(-7) cm2/s. When the diffusion coefficient was calculated based on transient experimental data, the values with 95% confidence interval ranged from 4.14 x 10(-7) to 8.00 x 10(-7) cm2/s with a mean value of 6.07 x 10(-7) cm2/s. The difference between these two results can be reduced by more accurate estimation of the water flow velocity through plant stems. The model is applicable to other species including sunflowers and poplars upon substitution of appropriate parameters.