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Tire rubber chemicals reduce juvenile oyster (Crassostrea gigas) filtration and respiration under experimental conditions
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Chemicals that leach out of tire rubber, likely washing into waterways from road runoff, can seriously stress out young oysters, cutting their ability to filter food and breathe by over half, even at low concentrations. This throws off the oysters' energy balance, meaning less energy for growth and reproduction, which matters because oysters filter our water and support seafood supplies, so widespread tire pollution could ripple through the food chain and coastal ecosystems we rely on.
Tires can release a large number of chemical compounds that are potentially hazardous for aquatic organisms. An ecophysiological system was used to do high-frequency monitoring of individual clearance, respiration rates, and absorption efficiency of juvenile oysters (8 months old) gradually exposed to four concentrations of tire leachates (equivalent masses: 0, 1, 10, and 100 μg tire mL-1). Leachates significantly reduced clearance (52 %) and respiration (16 %) rates from 1 μg mL-1, while no effect was observed on the absorption efficiency. These results suggest that tire leachates affect oyster gills, which are the organ of respiration and food retention as well as the first barrier against contaminants. Calculations of scope for growth suggested a disruption of the energy balance with a significant reduction of 57 %. Because energy balance directs whole-organism functions (e.g., growth, reproductive outputs), the present study calls for an investigation of the long-term consequences of chemicals released by tires.
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Tire particles and their leachates reduce the filtration rate of the mussel Mytilus edulis
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Researchers found that tire wear particles and the chemicals they release (leachates) significantly reduced the filtration rate of blue mussels, a key species in coastal ecosystems. Even the chemicals alone, without the physical particles, caused harm at relatively low concentrations. Since mussels are widely consumed as seafood and tire particles are one of the largest sources of microplastic pollution, these findings raise concerns about both ecosystem health and the safety of shellfish for human consumption.
Life stage-specific effects of tire particle leachates on the cosmopolitan planktonic copepod Acartia tonsa
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Researchers found that chemicals leaching from tire wear particles are toxic to copepods, tiny crustaceans that are a critical food source for marine life. Young copepods were especially vulnerable, with the chemicals blocking their development at concentrations that could occur in the real world near roads and runoff areas. Since copepods form the base of ocean food chains, this toxicity could ripple upward through the ecosystem and ultimately affect the quality and safety of seafood people eat.
Effects of tire particles and associated-chemicals on the Pacific oyster (Magallana gigas) physiology, reproduction and next-generation.
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A multigenerational study exposed Pacific oysters (Magallana gigas) to tire particles and their chemical leachates across multiple life stages and found effects at the cellular, molecular, and microbiota levels. The results demonstrate that tire particles — projected to become the dominant marine plastic by 2040 — can impair oyster physiology in ways that may affect wild populations and aquaculture.
The Toxicity of Tire Wear Particles and Their Leachates on Digestion and Gut Microbiota of Mytilus coruscus
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Tiny bits of tire rubber that wash into the ocean—along with the chemicals that leach out of them—harmed mussels by causing cell damage, disrupting digestion, and throwing off the balance of healthy gut bacteria, with the actual particles causing more harm than the chemicals alone. Since mussels and other shellfish are commonly eaten by humans, this research is an early warning sign that tire pollution in our waterways could work its way into our food and potentially affect our own digestive health.
Sensitivity of sea urchin larvae to car tire leachates
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Sea urchin larvae were exposed to leachates from car tire particles and showed significant harm to their development, even at concentrations that might occur in coastal marine environments. Tire wear is a major contributor to microplastic pollution and releases a complex mixture of chemicals including heavy metals and rubber additives. The findings suggest that even without physically ingesting tire particles, marine organisms near roads and stormwater outfalls could be harmed by the chemicals that wash off them.
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