E20 petrol attracts ants? BPCL responds to viral claim, explains matter

A viral social media video claiming that E20 petrol attracts ants has prompted Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) to issue an official clarification. The video, which has been widely shared online, shows a cluster of ants gathered around a car’s fuel filler cap and suggests that the presence of ethanol-blended fuel in the tank is the reason behind it.The clip has led many users to believe that the ants were attracted by the ethanol content in the fuel. However, BPCL has dismissed the claim, stating that there is no scientific evidence linking E20 petrol with insect attraction.In its clarification, the oil marketing company explained that fuel-grade ethanol used for petrol blending undergoes fermentation and distillation processes that remove residual sugars from the final product. BPCL further noted that the ethanol used in fuel contains denaturants, substances that are generally repellent to insects.The company also pointed out that once ethanol is blended with petrol, the characteristic hydrocarbon smell of petrol remains dominant. Additionally, ethanol-blended petrol produces lower fuel vapour compared to conventional petrol. According to BPCL, there is no identifiable component in E20 fuel that could attract ants or other insects to a vehicle’s fuel cap. “Claims suggesting a link between E20 fuel and ant attraction have no scientific basis,” BPCL said in its statement, adding that the allegations circulating on social media are baseless and unsupported by evidence.The clarification comes at a time when India is steadily increasing the use of ethanol-blended fuels as part of its efforts to reduce dependence on imported crude oil and lower vehicular emissions. E20 petrol is a blend containing 20 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent conventional petrol. Ethanol is a biofuel typically produced from agricultural sources such as sugarcane and maize.