Environmental Qualities

The key environmental differences between alcohol fuels and petroleum-based fuels are their biodegradability and environmental characteristics, Envirolene^® is characterized by simple, straight-chain bonds that include an oxygen atom. Petroleum fuels are characterized by complex molecular structures devoid of oxygen.

Simply because of an oxygen atom in each molecule, alcohol fuels are biodegradable in both water and land environments, unlike hydrocarbon petrochemicals like gasoline or oil (or MTBE) which contaminate and persist in the natural environment. Envirolene^® dilutes evenly when mixed with water (rather then floating on top) and can be quickly ingested by living organisms such as bacteria, microbes and phytoplankton.

E3’s biodegradability stems from the simplicity of its molecular structure. Because higher mixed alcohols feature a single chain structure, microbes can ingest these diluted alcohol molecules as a basic food source, thus biodegrading accidental spills into the environment.

A molecular comparison of a higher C5 pentanol alcohol molecule with a basic petrochemical can be seen with these diagrams to the right. Iso-octane is a primary ingredient of gasoline. Microbes cannot break down its multiple carbon bonding structure. These interconnected carbon atoms are too strong of a chemical bond for natural organisms to ingest. Therefore hydrocarbons are not typically biodegradable and will linger in the natural environment causing pollution problems.

Cleaner Combustion:

Whether we understand fuel chemistry or not, we all breathe and understand air pollution over our communities and polluted bodies of water. To learn how a young student demonstrated Envirolene’s cleaner-burning characteristics in a science fair, click here.