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Microplastics from road markings: the loss of drop-on glass beads as a signal of emissions
Summary
Researchers investigated microplastic emissions from road marking abrasion under controlled laboratory conditions, finding that glass beads applied to road marking surfaces play a protective role that reduces MP loss in field conditions, with results quantifying drop-on bead loss as a signal of emission rates.
Abrasion of road markings was reported as a meaningful sources of microplastic pollution. Whereas field research indicated that it was a rare event because of the protective role of glass beads always strewn on the surface of road markings, laboratory research under controlled conditions was due. To fulfil this knowledge gap, two exemplary road marking paints were tested with a wear simulator and the collected abraded material was analysed for the presence of microplastic particles. The outcome indicated major dissimilarities between the paints in terms of resistance to abrasion and a clear correlation between the extraction of the glass beads from the film and the emissions of microplastics. Hence, the protective role of glass beads was confirmed: if renewed promptly, road markings should be considered as negligible contributors to microplastic pollution.