Endangered coho salmon and steelhead trout live and spawn in habitats surrounded by human activity, such as the San Francisco Bay area. During a recent storm, researchers found high levels of the tire-derived pollutant 6PPD-quinone in roadway outflows, creeks, and rivers. They report in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology Letters that many samples exceeded levels considered fatal to juvenile salmon. Treating stormwater runoff and creating less toxic or non-toxic tire materials could make healthier environments. … The researchers collected water samples from six road outfalls, 14 creeks and rivers, and two estuaries around the San Francisco Bay and the nearby coast in the peak of a rainstorm to provide a snapshot of potential exposure. … The team found that 6PPD-quinone levels in 78% of the samples exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s value for the potential to cause acute harm to aquatic organisms.