We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Life stage-specific effects of tire particle leachates on the cosmopolitan planktonic copepod Acartia tonsa
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that chemicals leaching from tire wear particles are toxic to copepods, tiny crustaceans that are a critical food source for marine life. Young copepods were especially vulnerable, with the chemicals blocking their development at concentrations that could occur in the real world near roads and runoff areas. Since copepods form the base of ocean food chains, this toxicity could ripple upward through the ecosystem and ultimately affect the quality and safety of seafood people eat.
Tire wear particles (TWP) are a major source of microplastics in the aquatic environment and the ecological impacts of their leachates are of major environmental concern. Among marine biota, copepods are the most abundant animals in the ocean and a main link between primary producers and higher trophic levels in the marine food webs. In this study, we determined the acute lethal and sublethal effects of tire particle leachates on different life stages of the cosmopolitan planktonic copepod Acartia tonsa. Median lethal concentration (LC, 48 h) ranged from 0.4 to 0.6 g L depending on the life stages, being nauplii and copepodites more sensitive to tire particle leachates than adults. The median effective concentration (EC, 48 h) for hatching was higher than 1 g L, indicating a relatively low sensitivity of hatching to tire particle leachates. However, metamorphosis (from nauplius VI to copepodite I) was notably reduced by tire particle leachates with an EC (48 h) of 0.23 g L and the absence of metamorphosis at 1 g L, suggesting a strong developmental delay or endocrine disruption. Leachates also caused a significant decrease (10-22%) in the body length of nauplii and copepodites after exposure to TWP leachates (0.25 and 0.5 g L). We tested a battery of enzymatic biomarkers in A. tonsa adult stages, but a sublethal concentration of 50 mg L of tire particle leachates did not cause a statistically significant effect on the measured enzymatic activities. Our results show that tire particle leachates can negatively impact the development, metamorphosis, and survival of planktonic copepods. More field data on concentrations of TWPs and the fate and persistence of their leached additives is needed for a better assessment of the risk of tire particle pollution on marine food webs.
More Papers Like This
Lethal effect of leachates from tyre wear particles on marine copepods
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested the toxicity of chemical leachates from tire wear particles on five species of marine copepods, tiny crustaceans that are essential to ocean food webs. They found that all species experienced lethal effects, with some being far more sensitive than others, and identified zinc as a key toxic component. The study suggests that the chemicals leaching from tire wear particles in marine environments pose a serious threat to small but ecologically critical organisms.
Acute toxicity of tire wear particles, leachates and toxicity identification evaluation of leachates to the marine copepod, Tigriopus japonicus
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
Effect of environmentally relevant concentrations of potentially toxic microplastic on coastal copepods
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
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
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
Impact of Tire Wear Leachates on Phytoplankton Communities
AI summary Read the abstract
Tire wear particles leaching into seawater were shown to harm phytoplankton communities at environmentally relevant concentrations, affecting both growth and photosynthesis. Tires contribute an estimated half million tonnes of microplastics to marine environments each year, making tire wear a significant and growing source of ocean pollution. These findings raise concerns about the ecological impacts of road runoff on marine primary producers that form the base of ocean food webs.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.