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A study on the aquatic degradation of tire wear particles: Impact of environmental factors and material formulations
Summary
This study assessed how tire wear particles degrade in freshwater environments under varying environmental conditions including UV radiation and water chemistry. The degradation process alters particle properties in ways that may increase toxicity to aquatic organisms.
Tire wear particles (TWPs) represent a significant contributor to microplastic pollution, with a substantial portion of these particles finding their way into surface waters, posing unpredictable risks to sensitive aquatic ecosystems. However, neither the degradation behaviour of TWPs in the aquatic environment, nor the factors that influence their degradation, are yet fully understood. This study aims to address this knowledge gap by subjecting TWPs to a microcosm test setup specifically designed to simulate a surf zone environment. This setup allows for the controlled manipulation of environmental parameters, namely temperature, UV exposure and mechanical stress resulting from water and sediment movement. The TWPs used in this study were generated through a tire tread buffing process and partially pre-aged, utilising a xenon test chamber, prior to their exposure in the microcosm test. This research investigates the influence of various parameters on TWP degradation behaviour, focusing on three key factors: (i) the material composition of TWPs, including factors such as rubber type and the presence of anti-ageing agents; (ii) the mentioned abiotic environmental conditions in aquatic ecosystems, namely temperature, UV light exposure, and mechanical stress; and (iii) the weathering state of the TWP material. Evaluation of degradation processes utilised a combination of imaging techniques, including SEM/EDX and particle size distribution analysis, along with thermo-analytical methods such as Pyrolysis-GC/MS. Initial findings of this study indicate that the conducted ageing experiment induced changes in the surface properties of TWPs, resulting in increased roughness and the formation of cracks, in addition to alterations in elemental composition. Furthermore, fragmentation of TWPs was observed during the microcosm experiment, particularly under the combined influence of all three investigated environmental parameters. These insights aid in comprehending the fate of TWPs in aquatic environments and facilitate the development of effective mitigation strategies, retention measures, and simulation models concerning TWP distribution. Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/559221/document