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Sensitivity of sea urchin larvae to car tire leachates
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Sea urchin larvae were exposed to leachates from car tire particles and showed significant harm to their development, even at concentrations that might occur in coastal marine environments. Tire wear is a major contributor to microplastic pollution and releases a complex mixture of chemicals including heavy metals and rubber additives. The findings suggest that even without physically ingesting tire particles, marine organisms near roads and stormwater outfalls could be harmed by the chemicals that wash off them.
Abrasion of car tires is recognized as a major source of microplastics in the environment. The composition of these particles is highly complex, including rubber, a diverse array of chemical additives and heavy metals. Various of these compounds can leach from the particles into the marine environment presenting a cocktail of chemicals to marine biota. Still, little is known about the effects of car tire leachates on marine species. The aim of this study was to test the effects of car tire leachates on the early development of the three dominant species of sea urchins in Gran Canaria: Paracentrotus lividus, Arbacia lixula, and Diadema africanum. We prepared leachates of micronized car tires ( Also see: https://micro2022.sciencesconf.org/427278/document
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Toxicity of tire particle leachates on early life stages of keystone sea urchin species
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Chemical leachates from tire particles caused developmental abnormalities, stunted growth, and death in the larvae of three species of sea urchins, which are important species in marine ecosystems. The toxic effects were strongly dose-dependent, and zinc along with other metals and organic chemicals were identified as likely culprits. Since tire particles are one of the largest sources of microplastic pollution, this study highlights how the chemicals they release can harm marine life at the base of the food web.
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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.
New insights into car tire rubber particle toxicity: chemical composition and ecotoxicity assessment of leachate on gamete quality of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis
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Researchers studied how tire rubber particles, a major source of microplastic pollution, affect the reproductive health of Mediterranean mussels. Chemical analysis of tire particle leachate revealed high levels of zinc and various organic compounds, and exposure caused significant damage to mussel egg and sperm quality. The findings suggest that the chemicals leaching from tire wear debris in coastal waters may threaten the reproductive success of marine organisms.
Cocktail effects of tire wear particles leachates on diverse biological models: A multilevel analysis
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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.
Developmental Toxicity of Microplastic Leachates on Marine Larvae
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Chemical leachates from microplastics — the chemicals that wash off plastic surfaces — caused developmental abnormalities in marine sea urchin and bryozoan larvae at environmentally relevant concentrations. The findings suggest that chemical leaching from plastics may be as harmful as the particles themselves for marine organisms in early life stages.
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