6-PPD Quinone (6-PPDQ)

The Newest Emerging Contaminant

6-PPD Quinone (6PPDQ) is an emerging contaminant of concern, formed from the antioxidant 6-PPD used in tires as an antiozonant. Its discovery in 2021 sparked global attention due to its acute toxicity to aquatic life, especially juvenile Coho salmon. SGS offers measurement of 6-PPDQ in surface/groundwater, stormwater, soils/sediments, influents, effluents, biosolids supporting research, regulatory compliance, and mitigation efforts.

Why 6PPDQ Matters

• Highly Toxic: Lethal to salmonids at concentrations as low as 41 ng/L.
• Widespread Occurrence: Found in surface water, stormwater, snowmelt, roadside soil, biosolids, and wastewater across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
• Partitioning to Sediment/Biosolids: Its high affinity to solids adds to the complications on studying fate and transport

Our Services

SGS offers validated methods for detecting 6PPDQ using:

• EPA 1634 draft Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in aqueous matrices
• Reporting Limits: 0.1 ppt in aqueous samples (well below EPA 1634 specifications), 50 ppt in soils/sediments.
• Method extensions to solid matrices going beyond EPA 1634
• Specialized liquid-liquid extractions available to maximize recovery from challenging whole water samples with high % solids

SGS has analyzed hundreds of samples across Canada and the U.S., revealing:

• Elevated concentrations in urban runoff and roadside soils.
• Seasonal variation in surface water levels, with spikes during rain events.
• High partitioning to sediments (log Koc ~3.9).  

Our methods also detect other tire-related pollutants:

• Microplastics
• Hexamethoxymethyl melamine (HMMM)