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A review of potential physical and chemical markers for tyre and road wear particles
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This review examines potential physical and chemical markers for identifying tyre and road wear particles (TRWPs) in environmental samples, assessing how these markers can distinguish TRWPs from other microplastic sources in freshwater ecosystems. The authors found that chemical additives associated with tyre rubber, including benzothiazole derivatives and specific heavy metals, show promise as tracers, though standardization of detection methods remains a challenge.
Plastic pollution poses a substantial environmental challenge on global scale. Recently, tyre and road wear particles (TRWPs) have been recognized as a source of microplastic pollution to the freshwater environment. Whilst there is a growing concern regarding the potential environmental effects of microplastics, TRWPs are especially concerning because of the additives they have. These additives are utilised in the manufacturing of tyres; persist in the final product; become environmentally available; and may pose significant threats to an ecosystem. A current issue is the identification of specific constituents of TRWPs responsible for these threats. A comprehensive review of the existing literature is presented focusing on the physical and chemical characteristics of TRWPs with the aim to identify suitable marker(s). Wear particles derived from tyre tread possess distinctive a sausage shape that is exclusive to TRWPs. A range of chemical additives linked to tyres have been employed to quantify TRWPs, overlooking other potential sources such as brake wear and exhaust emissions. We found that significant amounts of 6PPD is used for the formulation of tyres, which is why 6PPD, and a comparatively stable transformation product 6PPD-quinone, could be used for the identification of TRWPs. We recommend that sampling and analysis methods be thoroughly documented to enhance the reproducibility.
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Organic Markers of Tire and Road Wear Particles in Sediments and Soils: Transformation Products of Major Antiozonants as Promising Candidates.
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Researchers identified organic chemical markers that can trace tire and road wear particles (TRWPs) in soils and sediments. They found that benzothiazole derivatives and transformation products of tire rubber chemicals were detectable in environmental samples and could serve as quantitative indicators of TRWP contamination. This provides scientists with better tools for tracking traffic-related pollution in the environment.
Car tire particles and their additives: biomarkers for recent exposure in marine environments
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Researchers reviewed car tire wear particles and their chemical additives as environmental biomarkers for recent plastic pollution exposure in marine environments. Tire-specific compounds including benzothiazoles, zinc, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were identified as useful chemical tracers that can distinguish tire-derived pollution from other microplastic sources.
Quantification of tire tread wear particles in microparticles produced on the road using oleamide as a novel marker
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A novel analytical method using oleamide, a compound incorporated into tire rubber for processing purposes, as a chemical marker was developed and validated to quantify tire tread wear particles in road microparticle samples, offering improved specificity over existing benzothiazole-based approaches for source attribution of tire-derived microplastics.
Methods for laboratory-generation and physico-chemical characterisation of tyre wear particles
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Researchers developed a lab method to generate tire wear particles using a friction machine and then identified a suite of chemical compounds that could serve as reliable markers for detecting these particles in environmental samples. Tire wear is one of the largest single sources of microplastic pollution globally, yet quantifying it in the environment has been hampered by the lack of agreed marker compounds. This work lays groundwork for standardized monitoring of tire particle pollution in soils and waterways.
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