Most people would think that the rainwater and snow that falls are clean and that’s the way they stay as they end up in our rivers and lakes, but that’s not always true. USask professor of chemical and biological engineering,

Dr. Jafar Soltan, explains that after the rain falls and lands on our roads and sidewalks, it gathers what has been left behind, including chemical compounds from tires and other toxins.

A Research Junction project from the University of Saskatchewan and the City of Saskatoon is looking at finding a practical way to filter these toxins so they don’t reach the river, and therefore don’t affect the ecosystem.

One tire-chemical-compound used to prevent cracking and discolouration of tires is toxic to fish species such as trout. It needs to be a practical, workable solution for municipalities, so there are a few things that need to be taken into consideration.

The filter needs to be able to do its job quickly and it needs to have a high absorption capacity. Dr. Soltan says it’s likely that this project could lead to future projects aimed at removing other contaminants from stormwater.