We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Determination of Tire Wear Particle-Type Polymers by Combination of Quantitative Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Soxhlet Extraction
Summary
Researchers combined quantitative pyrolysis-GC/MS with other analytical methods to specifically identify and quantify tire wear particle-derived polymers in environmental samples. The approach enables more accurate attribution of rubber polymer contamination to tire wear versus other sources.
Tire wear particles (TWPs) are among the most relevant sources of microplastic pollution of the environment. Nevertheless, common analytical methods like IR and Raman spectroscopy are highly impaired by additives and filler materials, leaving only thermogravimetric methods for chemical analysis of TWPs in most cases. We herein present quantitative NMR spectroscopy (qNMR) as an alternative tool for the quantification of the polymeric material used for the production of tires, including natural rubber (NR), styrene-butadiene-copolymer (SBR), polyethylene-co-propylene (EPR) and polybutadiene (BR). Limits of quantification (LOQ) between 3 µg and 43 µg per sample and recovery rates of 72-92% were achieved for all tested polymer types. The first results of combining these measurements with Soxhlet extraction as a sample preparation tool are presented alongside the qNMR experiments.