Study of an aquifer contaminated by ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE): Site characterization and on-site bioremediation

► Ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE) (>300 mg L−1) found in a groundwater (gas-station). ► No significant carbon or hydrogen isotopic fractionation of ETBE along the plume. ► MC-IFP culture degraded ETBE (0.91 mg L−1 h−1) and BTEX (0.64 mg L−1 h−1). ► A pilot plant (2 m3) inoculated with MC-IFP degraded ETBE in groundwater (15 °C). ► ethB gene (ETBE biodegradation) amplified during bioaugmentation (5 × 106ethB gene copies L−1).