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Title Description Type of Content
New Data on Salmon-Killing Chemical In San Francisco Bay A new dataset on San Francisco Bay water includes some of the world's the first information about… News
"Unique as Snowflakes": Understanding Tire Particles Techniques to isolate and identify tire particles will pave the way for better microplastic… News
Tons of Tire Particles Tire wear particles may be the biggest source of microplastics to the Bay and to global urban water… Focus Area
Tire Chemicals and Particles Tire wear particles are one of the top sources of microplastics in the environment, and the most… Focus Area
Tire chemicals SFEI’s vehicle tire contaminant monitoring data has supported California’s Department of Toxic… Focus Area
Vehicle Tires Threaten Water Quality Update: On October 1, 2023: California Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) 6PPD… News
A Synthesis of Microplastic Sources and Pathways to Urban Runoff What do clothes dryers and car tires have in common? Both release microplastic pollution into the… News
SFEI Experts Assist California’s Safer Consumer Products Program Recent studies by the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) and the Regional Monitoring Program… News
Next Generation Urban Greening SFEI is working with partners across the Bay Area to design tools to help cities achieve… Project
Toxic Tire Contaminant Found in Bay Area Stormwater Scientists at the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) have found a highly toxic tire-related… News
GreenPlan-IT GreenPlan-IT is a versatile open-source toolset that helps aid municipalities with their efforts to… Project

Publications

Title Abstract Year of Publication
Tire- and Vehicle-derived Contaminants, Current Use Pesticides, Pharmaceuticals, and other Emerging Contaminants in Dry vs. Wet Season Bay Water 2026
Next Generation Urban Greening: GSI monitoring results fact sheet 2025
Next Generation Urban Greening: urban greening overview fact sheet 2025
Tire Wear: Emissions Estimates and Market Insights to Inform Monitoring Design Every vehicle on the road sheds tiny particles from its rubber tires into the environment. Tire wear is one of the top sources of microplastic releases to the environment. Tire wear also disperses… 2023
A living tool for the continued exploration of microplastic toxicity Throughout the past decade, many studies have reported adverse effects in biota following microplastic exposure. Yet, the field is still emerging as the current understanding of microplastic toxicity… 2022
Research recommendations to better understand the potential health impacts of microplastics to humans and aquatic ecosystems To assess the potential risk of microplastic exposure to humans and aquatic ecosystems, reliable toxicity data is needed. This includes a more complete foundational understanding of microplastic… 2022
Risk-based management framework for microplastics in aquatic ecosystems Microplastic particles (MPs) are ubiquitous across a wide range of aquatic habitats but determining an appropriate level of risk management is hindered by a poor understanding of environmental risk.… 2022
Microplastics from Tire Particles in San Francisco Bay Fact Sheet As we drive our cars, our tires shed tiny particles When it rains, stormwater runoff carries tire particles—and the toxic chemicals they contain—from city streets and highways to storm drains and… 2022
A Synthesis of Microplastic Sources and Pathways to Urban Runoff California Senate Bill 1263 (2018) tasks the Ocean Protection Council (OPC) with leading statewide efforts to address microplastic pollution, and requires the OPC to adopt and implement a Statewide… 2021
Holistic Assessment of Microplastics and Other Anthropogenic Microdebris in an Urban Bay Sheds Light on Their Sources and Fate The physical and chemical properties of microplastics and their environmental distributions may provide clues about their sources and inform their fate. We demonstrate the value of extensive… 2021
Urban Stormwater Runoff: A Major Pathway for Anthropogenic Particles, Black Rubbery Fragments, and Other Types of Microplastics to Urban Receiving Waters Stormwater runoff has been suggested to be a significant pathway of microplastics to aquatic habitats; yet, few studies have quantified microplastics in stormwater. Here, we quantify and characterize… 2021
Microparticles, Microplastics, and PAHs in Bivalves in San Francisco Bay California mussels (Mytilus californianus and hybrid Mytilus galloprovincialis / Mytilus trossulus) and Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) were collected at multiple sites in San Francisco Bay. Mussels… 2020
Microplastic Contamination in San Francisco Bay - Fact Sheet This factsheet compiles the findings for microplastics, as they are found in San Francisco Bay. The factsheet defines the different forms of contamination, the studies that have been performed as of… 2016
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