To continue, "Well, hmm.  From looking at its structural formula, it will have a boiling point very different from water. So, for simple qualitative analysis (there/not there) one could carefully use fractional distillation to remove the water component to concentrate the 2-buto content for easier detection.

The stuff can be smelled by even our own noses in low concentrations (one part per million or better), so after the distillation, a good sniff might very well detect it.  Oh, since 2-buto is flammable, a flameless still would be best!!

A more scientific way could employ something I did for years for Cutler-Hammer Corp which is Infrared Spectrometry, which regrettably is rather pricey.  But really cool to do.  If you had a friend or relative who had access to a lab with such a instrument, that 2-buto.... could be detected pronto.  A local college or university with a good organic/phys-chem department would definitely have one.  A sympathetic professor or associate prof might be a good person to befriend here.

I'm not sure of present sensitivity capabilities of these instruments, but they could prbly detect small concentrations of the stuff now that they have multiple scan and computer enhancement features.

The 2-buto... will produce a very definite IR signature on the resultant graph.  The 2-buto which reaches water tables doesn't really have much of a way to break down in less dangerous chemicals, so I believe that that stuff, IF it reached water tables at Valdez, will most likely still be there.

Comforting thought isn't it.....  Hope that helps."

"While on my 4 mile walk, I was constantly thinking about that molecule, and the more I thought about it, the more I didn't like what I saw.

I wish I could be more articulate on it today, but I'll have to reflect on it more.  Basically it's structural nature made me think I wouldn't want to have that in my system for anything.

But what I also noted in some university .pdf files on this stuff was just as thought provoking.  There are NO carcinogenic studies to amount to anything on this alcohol, which is a type of double butanol ether.

The poison data was good, but curiously there seems to be a total lack of data on LONG TERM low level poisoning of the human system via water tables.  Strange because it is such a common propellant for certain products and can be expected to be accidentally introduced into water supplies, if only very rarely.

This light treatment of a potential long term risk doesn't outright trouble me, but nonetheless it's making me wonder."