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Snow dumping station – A considerable source of tyre wear, microplastics, and heavy metal pollution
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Researchers investigated microplastic and tire wear particle pollution in snow from dumping stations in Riga, Latvia, and found substantially higher contamination levels in urban areas compared to remote reference sites. The study identified tire wear particles as a major contributor, with microplastic concentrations reaching up to 2,549 particles per liter of melted snow, highlighting snow dumping stations as a notable source of waterway pollution.
Snow dumping stations can be a hotspots for pollutants to water resources. However, little is known about the amount of microplastics including tyre wear particles transported this way. This study investigated microplastics and metals in snow from four snow dumping stations in Riga, Latvia, a remote site (Gauja National Park), and a roof top in Riga. Microplastics other than tyre wear particles were identified with Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) (>500 µm) and focal plane array based micro-Fourier Transform Infrared (FPA-µFTIR) imaging (10-500 µm), tyre wear particles by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (Py-GC-MS), and total metals by Inductively Coupled Plasma with Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Microplastics detected by FTIR were quantified by particle counts and their mass estimated, while tyre wear particles were quantified by mass. The concentrations varied substantially, with the highest levels in the urban areas. Microplastic concentrations measured by FTIR ranged between 26 and 2549 counts L of melted snow with a corresponding estimated mass of 19-573 µg/L. Tyre wear particles were not detected at the two reference sites, while other sites held 44-3026 µg/L. Metal concentrations varied several orders of magnitude with for example sodium in the range 0.45-819.54 mg/L and cadmium in the range 0.05-0.94 µg/L. Correlating microplastic measured by FTIR to metal content showed a weak to moderate correlation. Tyre wear particles, however, correlated strongly to many of the metals. The study showed that snow can hold considerable amounts of these pollutants, which upon melting and release of the meltwater to the aquatic environment could impact receiving waters.
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Researchers measured tire wear particles (TWPs) — a major but underappreciated source of microplastic pollution — in snow alongside a Swedish highway and found concentrations up to 1,300 mg/L, with particles decreasing in concentration farther from the road. Because large amounts of TWPs can be rapidly released into waterways when snow melts, the study calls for better snow management practices to prevent this pulse of microplastic contamination.
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Researchers analyzed urban and peri-urban snowbanks in Norway and found significant concentrations of tire and road wear particles, confirming roads as a major source of microplastic pollution. The study is among the first to measure mass concentrations of these particles in snow, providing important data on how they accumulate and are transported in cold climates. The findings suggest that snowmelt may carry substantial loads of tire-derived microplastics into waterways each spring.
Quality of snow deposited in urban areas : storage, load assessment and release of selected pollutants with snowmelt
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This study analyzed pollutants stored in urban snow deposits in Norway, including conventional contaminants and emerging pollutants such as microplastics. Researchers found that snow accumulates significant loads of traffic-derived particles, metals, and microplastics that are released in a pulse during spring snowmelt. The study highlights urban snow as a temporary pollution reservoir that can deliver microplastics to waterways during melt events.
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