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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.
Tyre wear particles are generated by the frictional forces between a tyre and the road during driving. Tyre wear represents one of the biggest sources of synthetic polymer-based material released into the environment, significantly contributing to microplastic pollution and the associated ecological consequences. However, the extent of tyre particle pollution is not fully understood, and research and understanding are hindered by a lack of described chemical compounds that meet all the criteria for an effective marker of tyre particles. The aims of this study were to develop a methodology for generating tyre particles using a pin-on-disc tribometer; and to distinguish the chemical components in the particles – using two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry – to propose a suite of potential markers. The results show that the morphology of the tyre particles reflected that of particles generated in previous literature and during driving. Additionally, the suggested markers were common across the three tyre brands studied here, thus meeting one of the criteria for a successful marker. Future research into measuring the concentration of tyre particles in environmental samples is necessary to understand further their distribution, and assessing the contribution of tyre particles to non-exhaust emissions can inform on future engineering strategies to minimise their release
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This review synthesizes current knowledge on tyre wear particles (TWPs) as a major source of road-traffic microplastics, covering how particle generation, transport pathways, and environmental fate depend on tyre composition, road characteristics, and weather. A key finding is that while TWPs can be identified in environmental samples, quantifying them precisely remains difficult and expensive—a gap that must be closed to accurately assess human and ecological exposure.
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Researchers developed an improved method for quantifying tire wear particles in environmental samples using pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry based on real tire tread composition. The approach achieved 94-113% accuracy, a significant improvement over previous methods, and includes a tiered framework for distinguishing tire-derived signals from other interference. This methodology enables more reliable tracking of tire wear particles, a major but often underestimated source of microplastic pollution.
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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.
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