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The Importance of Tire Wear Particles for Atmospheric Ice Nucleation
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Every time you drive, your tires shed tiny plastic particles into the air—and this study found these particles are surprisingly good at helping clouds form ice, far more so than other types of microplastic pollution. This matters because as car ownership grows worldwide, these tire particles could increasingly influence weather and climate patterns, on top of already being a pollutant we breathe in.
Abstract Tire wear particles (TWPs) are prevalent microplastic particles in the atmosphere and pose significant environmental and health risks to humans. Here, we investigated the ice nucleation activity (INA) of TWPs under mixed‐phase cloud conditions (∼−20.0°C < T < −5.0°C) and its changes caused by different environmental exposures, including UV and high temperatures (75.0°C). Ice‐active sites per mass of TWPs are about one to two orders of magnitude higher than those of other microplastics. Environmental exposure moderately reduces TWPs' INA, attributed to modifications in surface ice‐nucleation sites, such as decreases in SiO 2 signals. As the most abundant microplastics in the atmosphere, TWPs significantly contribute to global ice‐nucleating particles (INPs), particularly in North America, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Given that TWP emissions are expected to increase with the predicted rise in vehicle numbers, addressing TWPs' impacts on cloud microphysical properties becomes increasingly imperative.
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Tire-Wear Particles as Potential Ice-Nucleating Agents in the Atmosphere
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Tire-wear particles — one of the largest global sources of microplastic pollution — can become airborne and may influence cloud formation by acting as ice-nucleating agents in the atmosphere. This study found that these particles have the potential to affect cloud glaciation, meaning microplastic pollution could have indirect climate effects beyond what occurs on land and in water.
Tire-wear particles as potential ice nucleating agents in the atmosphere
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Researchers systematically investigated the ice-nucleating properties of tire-wear particles -- one of the largest global sources of microplastic pollution at approximately 6 million tons annually -- finding that these airborne particles can act as heterogeneous ice nucleating agents capable of influencing cloud glaciation and atmospheric processes during long-range transport.
Do Microplastics Contribute to the Total Number Concentration of Ice Nucleating Particles?
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This study measured microplastic concentrations in air near roads and estimated whether road traffic-derived microplastics — from tire wear, brake dust, and road markings — contribute meaningfully to the total number of ice-nucleating particles in the atmosphere. The results showed that traffic-related microplastics do add to ice-nucleating particle counts, though their overall contribution relative to other aerosol sources requires further investigation. The findings are relevant because ice-nucleating particles influence cloud formation and precipitation, meaning airborne microplastics could have subtle effects on regional weather patterns.
Do Microplastics Contribute to the Total Number Concentration of Ice Nucleating Particles?
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Researchers modeled road-traffic-related microplastic emissions and estimated their potential contribution to ice-forming particles in clouds. In tropical regions and remote areas like East Antarctica, where other ice-nucleating particles are scarce, microplastics could account for up to 40% of the total ice-nucleating particle concentration. The study suggests that airborne microplastics may be influencing cloud formation and precipitation patterns in ways not previously considered.
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