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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.
Tire Wear Particles (TWPs) are a major type of microplastics (MPs). However, previous studies have predominantly focused on TWP leachates rather than the particles, and their toxic effects on marine organisms remain limited. In this study, the mussels were exposed to TWPs and their leachates for 21 days, followed by a 7-day recovery period in clean conditions. The results showed that the leachates contained organic pollutants (predominantly PAHs) and metal ions (predominantly Zn2+). Growth inhibition was observed in exposure to TWPs, while leachate exposure showed no significant effect. As for the antioxidant system, high-concentration TWP and their leachate exposures provoked significant oxidative stress, accompanied by inhibited superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity as well as increased glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Exposure to high concentrations of TWPs significantly inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and trypsin (TRS) activities. Gut microbiota analysis indicated that exposure to TWPs and their leachates modified community structure with significantly reduced relative abundance of Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, potentially attributed to the bacteriostatic activity of released Zn2+. Integrated Biomarker Response (IBR) analysis indicated that TWPs elicited stronger integrated toxicity compared to their leachates. This study provides a comparative perspective on the ecological toxicology of TWPs and their leachates.
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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.
New insights into car tire rubber particle toxicity: chemical composition and ecotoxicity assessment of leachate on gamete quality of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis
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Researchers studied how tire rubber particles, a major source of microplastic pollution, affect the reproductive health of Mediterranean mussels. Chemical analysis of tire particle leachate revealed high levels of zinc and various organic compounds, and exposure caused significant damage to mussel egg and sperm quality. The findings suggest that the chemicals leaching from tire wear debris in coastal waters may threaten the reproductive success of marine organisms.
Tire wear particle leachate-induced hepatotoxicity in Carassius auratus: Associations with gut microbiota dysbiosis and lipid metabolism disorder
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Chemicals leaching from tire wear particles (tiny bits of rubber that wash off roads into waterways) caused liver damage, gut bacteria imbalances, and disrupted fat metabolism in fish exposed to environmentally realistic levels over 28 days. While this study was done in fish, not humans, it's a warning sign worth watching, tire particles are a widespread and growing pollutant in our water systems, and this research suggests they could harm the health of aquatic life we may eventually eat or interact with, making it worth understanding how these hidden pollutants move through the environment.
Assessing the bioaccumulation and toxicity of tire wear particles on the estuarine bivalve Scrobicularia plana
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Tiny bits of worn-down tire rubber that wash into rivers and estuaries can build up inside clams and other shellfish, according to this study, and may cause stress or harm to these animals. Since these clams are part of the food chain (and some, like this species, are eaten by people), this research raises questions about whether tire particle pollution could eventually make its way onto our plates through seafood.
Exposure to tire particles leachates reduces clearance rate, increases trace metal accumulation and mortality, and impairs gut microbiota in mussels (Mytilus edulis)
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Researchers exposed blue mussels to tire wear particle leachates for up to five weeks, finding that high concentrations caused 61% cumulative mortality, substantial zinc accumulation in tissues, gut microbiota dysbiosis including enrichment of potential pathogens, and a near-complete collapse of clearance rate that persisted even after depuration.
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