We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Soil Storage Conditions Alter the Effects of Tire Wear Particles on Microbial Activities in Laboratory Tests
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that soil storage conditions in the laboratory — including room temperature, low temperature, air drying, and heat drying — significantly alter microbial activity and therefore affect the measured toxicity of tire wear particles on soil microbiomes.
In this study, we focused on the fact that soil storage conditions in the laboratory have never been considered as a key factor potentially leading to high variation when measuring effects of microplastics on soil microbial activity. We stored field-collected soils under four different conditions [room-temperature storage, low-temperature storage (LS), air drying (AD), and heat drying] prior to the experiment. Each soil was treated with tire wear particles (TWPs), and soil microbial activities and water aggregate stability were investigated after soil incubation. As a result, microbial activities, including soil respiration and three enzyme activities (β-glucosidase, N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase, and phosphatase), were shown to depend on soil storage conditions. Soil respiration rates increased with the addition of TWPs, and the differences from the control group (no TWPs added) were more pronounced in the AD TWP treatment than in soils stored under other conditions. In contrast, phosphatase activity followed an opposing trend after the addition of TWPs. The AD soil had higher phosphatase activity after the addition of TWPs, while the LS soil had a lower level than the control group. We suggest that microplastic effects in laboratory experiments can strongly depend on soil storage conditions.
More Papers Like This
The Influence of Microplastics from Ground Tyres on the Acute, Subchronical Toxicity and Microbial Respiration of Soil
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers assessed the toxicity of ground tire microplastics on soil organisms and microbial respiration, finding subchronic phytotoxicity effects that highlight the environmental risks posed by tire wear particles accumulating in soils.
Delivery rate alters the effects of tire wear particles on soil microbial activities
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined how different delivery rates of tire wear particles affect soil microbial activity, since precipitation transports these particles from roads to adjacent soils at varying intensities. The study found that delivery rate significantly alters the magnitude of tire wear particle effects on soil microbial communities.
Stress of soil moisture and temperature exacerbates the toxicity of tire wear particles to soil fauna: Tracking the role of additives through host microbiota.
AI summary Read the abstract
This study examined how soil moisture and temperature stresses modify the toxicity of tire wear particles to soil invertebrates (Enchytraeus crypticus), finding that drought and high temperature conditions significantly increased toxicity. The results suggest that climate change may amplify the ecotoxicological risks of tire particle contamination in soils.
Soil properties explain the variability in tire wear particle effects in soil based on a laboratory test with 59 soils
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested how tire wear particles, one of the most common types of microplastics, affect 59 different soil types and found that the effects varied widely depending on soil properties like clay content and density. This matters because tire dust washes into soil and waterways everywhere, and understanding which soils are most vulnerable helps predict where pollution impacts will be greatest.
Tire wear particles: An emerging threat to soil health
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines tire wear particles as an emerging source of soil contamination, finding that these microplastics contain a complex mixture of rubber, metals, and organic chemicals that can harm soil organisms. Researchers highlight that most current studies focus on individual species, which may underestimate the cascading effects on entire soil ecosystems. The study warns that tire wear particles could alter essential soil processes and ecosystem services, representing a significant but underappreciated threat to soil health.
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.