September 18, 2025 — Scientists at NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center helped pioneer the study of an automobile tire toxin found to kill salmon when it runs off highways in stormwater and into streams. Now they have found a way to measure the toxin, 6PPD-quinone, directly in marine life, including fish, shellfish and marine mammals.
The new method can help scientists better understand how the toxin affects different species, and how it reaches and moves through marine ecosystems. It can help assess effects on more species in less time. That may, in turn, help managers find ways to reduce the risk it poses to salmon and other species. This will allow the fish to continue to support economically important tribal, commercial, and sport fisheries, bringing economic and environmental value to the region.
“Without being able to measure it, we won’t be able to answer questions about its impacts on species,” said Li-Jung Kuo, who led research by the Science Center’s Environmental Chemistry Program to develop the new method.“We need to have a better understanding of 6PPD-Q distribution in the environment, including aquatic species. The capability to directly measure the 6PPD-Q body burden in aquatic species is a step forward, as it is essential for exposure assessment.”
The identification of and research on 6PPD-quinone illustrates how hidden threats can lurk in our everyday lives. From the water we drink to the rivers and oceans that sustain countless species, our lives are intricately connected to aquatic environments. This vital connection means that our daily actions, both big and small, can have a profound impact on water quality and the health of its inhabitants. One such emerging concern stems from something as common as vehicle tires, specifically 6PPD-quinone, which is proving to be a silent killer for some species.