2001年初，美国环境保护局（Environmental Protection Agency）预计将采用 甲基叔丁基醚（MTBE）的二级最大污染物水平（SMCL） 在饮用水中。本文介绍了第一项也是唯一一项针对消费者的研究 测定饮用水中MTBE的气味阈值。基于 美国试验与材料学会E679-91方法扩充为 解决利益相关者提出的问题。这项研究 根据最终气味阈值协议进行，使用57人的小组 消费者和饮用水中MTBE的气味阈值为15 ug/L。 15微克/升阈值是各阈值的几何平均值 在57名消费者中。该消费者面板阈值与经过培训的 其他五项味觉和/或气味研究报告的小组阈值 从13.5微克/升到45.5微克/升。因此，作者建议使用该方法 作为建立联邦政府的科学依据 饮用水中MTBE和其他有机化学品的SMCL。包括26个参考文献、表格和图表。

In early 2001, the US Environmental Protection Agency is expected to adopt a secondary maximum contaminant level (SMCL) for methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) in drinking water. This article presents the first and only consumer study to determine the odor threshold of MTBE in drinking water. A protocol, based on the American Society for Testing and Materials method E679-91, was augmented to address concerns raised by interested stakeholders. The study, which was conducted according to the final odor threshold protocol, used a panel of 57 consumers and yielded an odor threshold for MTBE in drinking water of 15 ug/L. The 15 ug/L threshold is the geometric mean of the individual thresholds for each of the 57 consumers. This consumer panel threshold is consistent with the trained panel thresholds reported from five other taste and/or odor studies, which ranged from 13.5 to 45.5 ug/L. Consequently, the authors recommend using the methodology presented in this article as the scientific basis for establishing the federal SMCL for MTBE and other organic chemicals in drinking water. Includes 26 references, tables, figures.