Louisiana Universities Receive Grant for Tire Research

Grambling State and Southern University will study the health impacts of the tire chemical 6PPD over three years.

Updated on Oct. 19, 2026 in Chemistry

Louisiana Universities Receive Grant for Tire Research

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Grambling State University and Southern University A&M College have been awarded an $894,000 grant to investigate the toxicity of 6PPD. This common tire additive, used to prevent degradation, forms a hazardous compound when exposed to air.

Why it matters

The research aims to determine how tire chemical runoff, which enters human systems via groundwater, affects biological health. Understanding these interactions is critical for mitigating environmental contamination risks.

The three-year project utilizes two distinct cellular models: human lung cells at Southern University and mouse liver cells at Grambling State to observe gene expression. The grant also funds two $6,000 competitive summer internships each year.

The players

Grambling State University

This public historically black university is located in Grambling, Louisiana, and serves as a lead research institution for the 6PPD study.

Southern University A&M College

Located in Baton Rouge, this system is the only historically black land-grant university system in the United States.

Louisiana Biomedical Research Network

This organization supports biomedical research and infrastructure development across academic institutions in Louisiana.

The details

Southern University will examine how the contaminant interacts with human lung tissue, while Grambling State University researchers focus on gene expression within mouse liver cells. The study explores how 6PPD enters the environment through rain runoff and groundwater.

The research project is scheduled to span a period of three years.
Student research internships are offered annually.

The Big Picture

This collaboration aligns with the Louisiana Biomedical Research Network's research funding initiatives to expand scientific inquiry in the state. By integrating specialized cellular studies, the project addresses the broader challenge of identifying emerging environmental toxins.

The study may eventually lead to new regulatory guidelines regarding tire chemical usage or improved water filtration requirements. Improved scientific understanding of 6PPD can help identify long-term environmental hazards present in local groundwater runoff.

The takeaway

This research highlights the hidden chemical impacts of daily driving on local ecosystems. Residents can reduce their environmental footprint by maintaining proper tire pressure, which minimizes the degradation that releases these compounds into the air.