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Combined toxicity of pristine or artificially aged tire wear particles and bisphenols to Tigriopus japonicus
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Researchers tested the combined effects of tire wear particles (a major source of microplastics) and bisphenol chemicals on marine copepods. The tire particles increased the toxicity of some bisphenols like BPA while decreasing the toxicity of others, depending on the chemical and whether the tire particles were fresh or aged. This study shows that the health effects of microplastics depend heavily on what other chemicals they encounter in the environment.
Tire wear particles (TWPs) are considered an important component of microplastic pollution in the marine environment and occur together with a variety of aquatic pollutants, including frequently detected bisphenols. The adverse effects of TWPs or bisphenols on aquatic organisms have been widely reported. However, the combined toxicity of TWPs and bisphenols is still unknown. In this study, the combined toxicity of both pristine (p-) and aged TWPs (a-TWPs) and four bisphenols ((bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol S (BPS), and bisphenol AF (BPAF)) to Tigriopus japonicus was evaluated. TWPs increased the toxicity of BPA and BPF but decreased the toxicity of BPAF. For BPS, there was synergistic toxic effect in the presence of p-TWPs, but slightly antagonistic effect was observed in the presence of a-TWPs. This adsorption of BPAF by TWPs resulted in a reduction of its toxicity to the copepod. A-TWPs could release more Zn than p-TWPs, and the released Zn contributed to the synergistic effect of TWPs and BPA or BPF. The aggregation formed by TWPs in certain sizes (e.g., 90-110 μm) could cause intestinal damage and lipid peroxidation in T. japonicus. The synergistic effect of p-TWPs and BPS might be due to the aggregation size of the binary mixture. The results of the current study will be important to understand the combined toxic effect of TWPs and bisphenols and the potential toxic mechanisms of the binary mixture.
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Tire wear particles, a major but underappreciated source of microplastic pollution, leached chemicals into seawater that inhibited algae growth, caused developmental problems in zebrafish embryos, and showed hormone-disrupting effects in cell tests. The study found that water-soluble organic compounds from tires -- not just heavy metals like zinc -- were the primary drivers of toxicity, underscoring the need for better regulation of tire additives.
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This study tested the effects of tire wear particles (TWP), a type of toxic microplastic, on two coastal copepod species at environmentally realistic concentrations, finding reduced feeding and reproduction rates even at low doses. Tire wear particles are abundant in coastal waters and may be suppressing populations of these zooplankton, which are foundational to marine food webs.
A review on the combined toxicological effects of microplastics and their attached pollutants
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics act as carriers for other environmental pollutants — including heavy metals and persistent organic chemicals — and how these combinations produce toxic effects in organisms that are more severe than either contaminant alone. The findings highlight a complex, layered toxicity problem that affects microbes, invertebrates, and vertebrates across marine and terrestrial environments.
Acute toxicity of tire wear particles, leachates and toxicity identification evaluation of leachates to the marine copepod, Tigriopus japonicus
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Researchers tested the toxicity of tire wear particles and their chemical leachates on a marine copepod species and found that both caused significant harm at measurable concentrations. They used toxicity identification methods to determine that metals, specifically zinc, were the primary toxic component in the leachate. The findings highlight that tire wear particles are a concerning source of microplastic and chemical pollution in coastal marine environments.
Effects of long-term exposure to tire wear particle leachate on life-cycle chronic toxicity and potential toxic mechanisms in the marine copepod Tigriopus japonicus
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Researchers studied the long-term effects of tire wear particle chemicals on marine copepods across multiple generations and found severe impacts on survival, reproduction, and sex ratios. At the highest exposure level, no animals survived to the second generation, and females nearly disappeared from the population. The findings highlight that tire wear particles, a major source of microplastic pollution in coastal waters, can cause devastating multigenerational harm to marine organisms even through chemical leaching alone.
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