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Friday, March 29, 2024

Car Tire Dust is really Killing Salmon Every time when it Rains?

If you read news reports you might have seen that car tire dust is killing salmon every time it rains. However, is it really true? In this article I will share some information on the issue, as well as discuss the implications of what is known. Hopefully this will give you an understanding of the problem and what you can do about it.

Getting To The Bottom Of The Problem

There is a scourge in the Pacific Northwest that is killing salmon every time it rains. It has been a mystery for decades. Researchers have suspected that tire fragments are the culprit. But it was not until the discovery of a toxic chemical called 6PPD-quinone that the cause was finally tied to a car.

The molecule is a product of the interaction between tire antiozonant and ozone. When pollutants are exposed to sunlight, ozone breaks down the bonds of tires and releases a chemical that is potentially harmful to aquatic life.

A study conducted by researchers at the University of Washington in Tacoma suggests that this same chemical, in conjunction with other chemicals, could be the culprit behind the death of coho salmon. According to the findings, 40 to 90 percent of these fish die in creeks where they are hit by this scourge.

In the meantime, the state is working to find a solution. For now, lower speed limits may help mitigate the problem. However, until that is achieved, more research is needed to understand the chemical’s effects.

Detecting 6PPD-Quinone

The chemical 6PPD-quinone, found in the dust of automobile tires, may be toxic to salmon, and it may be present in recycled tire dust, according to new research. As the chemical becomes more widely known, researchers are trying to better understand its effects on human health and the environment.

In California, the Department of Toxic Substances Control has designated tires as a priority product. This means that state agencies are spearheading investigations into the chemical, which is a common additive in tires.

The compound is used to protect tires from breaking down, and it has been found to be present in roadway runoff from Los Angeles. It is also found in urban creeks in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Researchers have recently identified 6PPD-quinone as the “smoking gun” behind the death of coho salmon in freshwater streams. A recent study found that the compound is present at concentrations of ug/L or greater in some urban streams and creeks.

Environmental Traps For Coho Coming Back To Toxic Waters

In the past decade, the state of Washington has reacted to the growing urban sprawl of roadways near waterways with a well-funded NPDES permitting program. This program has allowed the construction of buffers that prevent pollutants from reaching the river. With a little forethought, a similar system can be put into place to protect aquatic life.

The Northwest has been a trailblazer in stormwater management for decades. That is why it makes sense to find out why its residents’ waterways are plagued by a plethora of toxic chemicals. There is one chemical in particular that has been proving to be deadly to coho salmon, and it’s all thanks to tire tread.

As the tire wears off, the wear particles get flushed into neighboring streams. One such chemical is the ol’ 6PPD, a tire preservative that is critical to the safety of rubber compounds. Unfortunately, it degrades into a more dangerous substance, known as 6PPD-quinone.

The Future of Regulation

Car tire dust and salmon have become a topic of major concern for environmentalists. Scientists are working to find solutions to the problem. They have identified a chemical in car tire wear particles that is extremely toxic to Coho salmon.

The chemicals have been linked to abrupt die-offs in adult fish. Researchers are studying their effects in waterways in Saskatchewan, the Great Lakes and the Pacific Northwest. A chemical called 6PPD-quinone, which has been found in tire dust, has been identified as the cause of these deaths.

Tire manufacturers have known about the problems with 6PPD-quinone for years. However, the problem has been kept under wraps until now. These compounds are now being studied and regulated by California officials.

Researchers are testing novel filtering devices that can be fitted behind the wheels of vehicles. Pilot studies show that they can reduce the flow of rubber emissions into the air. But more research is needed.

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