6PPD, a tire rubber antioxidant,
poses substantial ecological
risks
because it can form a highly toxic quinone transformation product
(TP), 6PPD-quinone (6PPDQ), during exposure to gas-phase ozone. Important
data gaps exist regarding the structures, reaction mechanisms, and
environmental occurrence of TPs from 6PPD ozonation. To address these
data gaps, gas-phase ozonation of 6PPD was conducted over 24–168
h and ozonation TPs were characterized using high-resolution mass
spectrometry. The probable structures were proposed for 23 TPs with
5 subsequently standard-verified. Consistent with prior findings,
6PPDQ (C18H22N2O2) was
one of the major TPs in 6PPD ozonation (∼1 to 19% yield). Notably,
6PPDQ was not observed during ozonation of 6QDI (N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N′-phenyl-p-quinonediimine), indicating that 6PPDQ formation does not proceed
through 6QDI or associated 6QDI TPs. Other major 6PPD TPs included
multiple C18H22N2O and C18H22N2O2 isomers, with presumptive N-oxide, N,N′-dioxide,
and orthoquinone structures. Standard-verified TPs were quantified
in roadway-impacted environmental samples, with total concentrations
of 130 ± 3.2 μg/g in methanol extracts of tire tread wear
particles (TWPs), 34 ± 4 μg/g-TWP in aqueous TWP leachates,
2700 ± 1500 ng/L in roadway runoff, and 1900 ± 1200 ng/L
in roadway-impacted creeks. These data demonstrate that 6PPD TPs are
likely an important and ubiquitous class of contaminants in roadway-impacted
environments.