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Effects of aged tire wear particles on nitrogen removal in constructed wetlands: Mechanistic insights into different aging pathways
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Tiny particles worn off tires wash into constructed wetlands—engineered systems that use plants and microbes to filter pollutants from water—and this study found they can weaken the wetland's ability to remove nitrogen, a common water pollutant. Whether the tire particles were broken down by sunlight or heat mattered: both types harmed helpful bacteria and stressed plants, but through different mechanisms, with sun-degraded particles causing more damage. This matters because if these widely used water treatment systems become less effective at removing nitrogen, it could allow more pollution to reach rivers and drinking water sources, highlighting a
The nitrogen removal performance of constructed wetlands (CWs) is facing potential threats from tire wear particles (TWPs). However, the impact and potential mechanism of their continuous accumulation remain unclear, especially the comparison of different aging pathways. Therefore, this study constructed CWs microcosm to compare the effects of photo-aged (PA) and thermal-aged (TA) TWPs on its nitrogen removal performance and explore its main mechanism pathways. The results showed that both mainly reduced the TN removal rate by affecting NH-N removal, and PA-TWPs had a more significant reduction than TA-TWPs. Both pathways alter the physicochemical properties of TWPs and additive accumulation in CWs, thereby affecting nitrogen removal performance through plant oxidative stress and microbial nitrogen transformation. However, their dominant mechanisms differ. PA-TWPs group synergistically reduced the TN removal performance by inducing plant oxidative stress and inhibiting the abundance of nitrifying bacteria (Nitrospira, Candidatus Nitrotoga). TA-TWPs group not only inhibited the abundance of the aforementioned nitrifying bacteria, but also indirectly suppressed TN removal performance by affecting nitrogen removal pathway of plants, and promoted the abundance of dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium bacteria Anaeromyxobacter, resulting in the accumulation of NH. This study emphasized the microscopic mechanism behind the differences in nitrogen removal performance driven by TWPs from different aging pathways, providing a theoretical basis and practical direction for assessing their ecological risks and optimizing CWs nitrogen removal performance.
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Thermal aging effects on tire wear particle migration and nitrogen and phosphorus removal in bioretention systems
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Lab column experiments tested how tiny tire wear particles, heated or unheated, move through soil-like filters used in stormwater systems. Heated particles stayed mostly near the surface while unheated ones moved deeper, and both reduced the system's ability to remove nitrogen, though phosphorus removal was unaffected.
Photoaging dynamics of tire wear particles in the terrestrial-aquatic interface: The crucial role of soil solution chemistry and dissolved organic matter evolution
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Tiny plastic particles from tire wear, one of the biggest sources of microplastic pollution, don't stay the same once they wash off roads into soil and water; this study shows that the type of soil they pass through changes how quickly and thoroughly these particles break down and react chemically, based on the soil's acidity, metal content, and natural organic matter. This matters because how these particles age affects what harmful substances they might release or absorb before reaching rivers, lakes, and eventually our water supply, meaning soil isn't just a passive filter but an active chemical processor that shapes the risks microplastics pose to ecosystems and human health.
Increased Aquatic Toxicity of Tire Wear Particles Following Oxidative Aging: Mechanism Insights into Matrix Loosening and Transformation Products
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Tiny bits of tire rubber wash into rivers and lakes, and this study found that sunlight and ozone exposure make them even more toxic over time, not less. As the particles break down, they release new chemical byproducts that made up nearly half of the harmful effects seen in zebrafish embryos, even at very low, real-world exposure levels. This matters because it suggests weathered tire particles in waterways could pose bigger risks to aquatic life (and potentially the food chain) than current safety testing accounts for, since most assessments don't look for these newly formed breakdown chemicals.
Aging of tire and road wear particles in terrestrial and freshwater environments - A review on processes, testing, analysis and impact.
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This review examines how tire and road wear particles (TRWPs) change after being released into the environment, covering processes like oxidation, UV degradation, and biodegradation. Researchers found that while some tire-aging knowledge applies to TRWPs, quantitative understanding of environmental aging remains largely lacking. The review outlines key knowledge gaps and next steps for future TRWP aging studies.
UV Aging Enhances the Formation of Disinfection Byproducts from Tire Wear Particles upon Chlorination
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Tiny bits of tire rubber wash off roads into our water supply, and sunlight exposure makes them react differently when water is treated with chlorine — producing 1.5 to 2 times more byproducts, including a wider variety of chlorinated compounds that tend to be more harmful. This matters because tire particles are everywhere in the environment, and this research suggests that sun-damaged tire debris could make your tap or tap-sourced water contain more, and potentially more toxic, chemical byproducts than previously assumed.
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