6PPD-q Using Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectroscopy (LC/MS/MS) - Method 1634 (Not yet approved)
Method 1634 measures 6PPD-quinone (6PPD-q) using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectroscopy. This method is not yet approved at 40 CFR Part 136.
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Background
Used for more than six decades as an additive in tires, 6PPD (chemical name: N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine) is also found in other rubber products such as footwear, synthetic turf infill, and synthetic playground surfaces. 6PPD reacts with ozone in the air to form 6PPD-quinone (6PPD-q), which research funded by the EPA in 2020 found to be linked to the deaths of coho salmon in urban Puget Sound streams. Exposures occur when runoff containing the chemical is washed from parking lots and streets into streams and other bodies of water.
Draft Method 1634
The EPA’s Office of Water, in partnership with the EPA's Region 10 office and Eurofins Environment Testing – Sacramento, has published Draft Method 1634, an analytical procedure to test for 6PPD-q in surface water and stormwater.
Widespread availability of a draft EPA analytical method for 6PPD-q provides Tribes and local governments with an important tool for better understanding stormwater and surface water quality, and to inform how and where to put in place protections for sensitive salmon, trout, and other aquatic life from potentially dangerous run-off. The Agency’s draft testing method now is available for use.
The Office of Water encourages laboratories, regulatory authorities, and other interested parties to review and use the draft method, with the understanding that it is subject to revision.
The EPA is grateful for the constructive feedback received from multiple interested parties to date. If stakeholders identify additional areas that need clarification, they may be incorporated in future revisions.