Effect of Diethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether (DiEGME) and Triethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether (TriEGME) on Microbial Contaminants in Aviation Fuel

Abstract : Diethylene glycol monomethyl ether (DiEGME) is widely used in military aircraft to inhibit both fuel system icing and microbial growth. However, due to the deleterious effects of the additive, the RTOC program was conducted to determine if it is possible to replace DiEGME in military aircraft fuel. The study presented here was performed in support of this program, which was designed to investigate the possible mission impact of replacing DiEGME with TriEGME. The current study was confined to the impact upon the biocidal/biostatic properties of the proposed additive. This study suggests that similar amounts of DiEGME and TriEGME are needed to retain biocidal/biostatic effectiveness, and that the substitution of TriEGME for DiEGME will result in equivalent protection from microbial contaminants.