An Australian waterway has been discovered for the first time a toxic chemical that was released from tyres when they wear down on roads. It is believed to have caused mass deaths of salmon in the United States.
Scientists found the compound known as 6PPD quinone among a variety of chemicals and hundreds of kilograms worth of tyre debris washed into a creek after a storm.
After solving the mystery of the mass deaths of coho salmon in Seattle over many years, researchers around the world are now trying to figure out how the chemicals and particles from tyres affect them.
Commonly used tyre additive, 6PPD. This transforms into 6PPD -quinone Was making streams toxicSalmon. This month, Scientists in Canada discovered the chemical.Two trout species were also affected by the toxic effects of the substance, but in much higher levels.
Guardian Australia was informed by scientists that this latest finding should prompt urgent investigations into whether 6PPD-quinone is causing any harm to Australian aquatic species.
After four severe storms in the second half of 2020, University of Queensland scientists collected water samples from Cubberla Creek near Brisbane’s M5 motorway. Published their results on a journal.
The creek that feeds into Brisbane River had levels of 6PPD-quinone at its peak. Concentrations comparable in size to those found to be killing Seattle salmon.
After each storm, as much as 700kg of tiny particles of tyre could wash off the roads and into their catchment.
Dr Cassandra Rauert is an environmental chemist from the Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences. She reported that they found elevated levels of chemical for two days following storms.
Exposure will be given to the aquatic species that live there [to the chemical]Over this period. It was also quite surprising to see how much tyre wear was found.
We don’t know if these particles have any effect on fish or if they are being ingested by them. There are many unknowns in this area. We should be worried but we need to learn more.
Rauert, along with colleagues, plan to take samples at various sites throughout Queensland, including catchments feeding into the Great Barrier Reef.
Dr Edward Kolodziej from the University of Washington in Seattle was part of a team that linked the deaths of coho Salmon to the tyre-adhesive.
According to him, 6PPD-quinone is one of the most harmful compounds for aquatic organisms.
He said that the Australian findings showed that it was found in potentially lethal concentrations, which could pose a significant new risk to ecosystem health and the health of sensitive aquatic organisms.
He suggested that more data should be collected to show where and when tyre wear enters sensitive habitats.
Professor Frederic Leusch is the Australian Rivers Institute’s lead researcher on aquatic toxicology. He is based at Griffith University and said that the 6PPD-quinone concentrations found in Brisbane are not insignificant. They are likely to be representative for other areas in the country.
Leusch, who wasn’t involved in the study, said that until we test and check the effect on any Australian species, we wont really know. However, this work was needed.
He stated that the rise of 6PPD-quinone was a sign of a failure in chemical development for products. Although 6PPD was well-known as an additive to tyres, it was not known how it could change when in use.
The tyre dust itself could also pose a problem for fish. Leusch stated that a small fish could have an intestine chock-a-bloc from these tyre particles. They can also carry toxic chemicals.
All of these chemicals, I would wager, we don’t even know what they will do to fish and invertebrates that live in our rivers.
California authorities are seeking to regulate the additive. It is used to stop tires cracking and degrading.
Kolodziej explained that tyres were used almost everywhere people are, so there was a clear society need to better understand these products.
The US tyre makers sayThey have initiated several research projects and initiatives related to 6PPD-quinone both in the country and globally.
Acting chairman of the Australian Tyre Industry Council Silvio de Denaro stated that tyre manufacturing has not been done in Australia in a decade. However, he added: “Obviously it is important for us to find an alternative.” [6PPD]In manufacturing
He said that many councils used capture ponds or other methods to reduce road run-off. These could catch chemicals.