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Development of a new lysimeter system to assess microplastic, PAH and heavy metal emissions from artificial turf sports pitches
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Researchers developed a new lysimeter system designed to measure emissions of microplastics, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and heavy metals leaching from artificial turf sports pitches, responding to European Commission regulations introduced in September 2023 that ban synthetic rubber infill granules. The system enables controlled quantification of pollutant release from multi-component turf systems including polyethylene grass fibres, EPDM rubber infill, and carpet backing under realistic rainfall conditions.
Since September 2023, the European Commission introduced a new regulation to reduce emissions of microplastics (MP) into the environment, including the sale and use of intentionally added MP. Therein, the use of synthetic rubber granules in artificial turf is explicitly mentioned and banned for future use. Additionally, abrasions of grass fibres and other turf components are also considered as MP sources. Artificial turf pitches are multi component systems: e. g. grass fibres made of polyethylene (PE), synthetic infill made of ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM), carpet backing of polypropylene (PP) glued with polyurethane (PU), winding yarn of polyethylene terephthalate or elastic layer of Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) bound with PU. While the ban has great impact on recreational sports, there is so far no sufficient data to estimate the MP emissions from artificial turf sports pitches into the environment and thus their relevance as a source of MP pollution. To close this gap, three artificial turf scenarios in different ageing states (unaged, artificially aged and aged in real time) were analysed in this study: the past (old turf: fossil based, synthetic infill), present (most commonly installed in Germany: fossil based, synthetic infill) and future (turf with recycled grass fibres, no synthetic infill). To simulate outdoor weathering during the service life of approx. 15 years, accelerated ageing by UV weathering and mechanical stress was carried out. The newly developed and in-house manufactured Microplastic Eluate Lysimeter (MEL) simulates contaminant transfer into the groundwater and allows the simultaneous sampling for MP and dissolved contaminants, like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) or heavy metals (HM). MP mass contents were analysed using smart microfilter crucibles (mesh size: 5 µm) and Thermal Extraction Desorption Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry and PAH and HM concentrations were determined using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry or Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy, respectively. Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/559678/document
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