BPCL : E20 gasoline attracts ants? BPCL responds to viral claims, explains the matter |

A viral video on social media 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 group of ants gathered around the fuel cap of a car and suggests that the reason for this is the presence of ethanol-blend fuel in the tank.The video led many users to believe that the ants were attracted to the fuel’s ethanol content. However, BPCL rejected the claim, stating that there is no scientific evidence linking E20 petrol to attracting insects.In its clarification, the oil marketing company explained that the fuel ethanol used to blend gasoline undergoes fermentation and distillation processes that remove residual sugars from the final product. BPCL further noted that the ethanol used in the fuel contains denaturants, substances that generally repel insects.The company also noted that after ethanol is mixed with gasoline, the characteristic hydrocarbon smell of gasoline remains dominant. In addition, ethanol-blended gasoline produces less fuel vapor compared to conventional gasoline. According to BPCL, there is no component in E20 fuel that can attract ants or other insects to the vehicle’s fuel cap.“Claims suggesting a link between E20 fuel and the attraction of ants have no scientific basis,” BPCL said in a statement, adding that the allegations circulating on social media are baseless and unsupported by evidence.The clarification comes as India steadily increases its use of ethanol-blend fuel as part of its efforts to reduce dependence on imported crude oil and lower vehicle emissions. E20 gasoline is a mixture containing 20 percent ethanol and 80 percent conventional gasoline. Ethanol is a biofuel that is usually produced from agricultural sources such as sugar cane and corn.