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Effects of tire wear particles with and without photoaging on anaerobic biofilm sulfide production in sewers and related mechanisms
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Researchers investigated how tire wear particles, both fresh and photoaged, affect sulfide production in sewer biofilms, finding that photoaging altered particle surface properties and leachate composition, influencing microbial sulfide generation in anaerobic sewer environments.
Tire wear particles (TWPs) are considered to be one of the major sources of microplastics (MPs) in sewers; however, little has been reported on the surface properties and photochemical behavior of TWPs, especially in terms of their environmental persistent radicals, leachate type, and response after photoaging. It is also unknown how TWPs influence the production of common pollutants (e.g., sulfides) in anaerobic biofilms in sewers. In our study, the effects of cryogenically milled tire treads (C-TWPs) and their corresponding photoaging products (photoaging-TWPs, A-TWPs) on anaerobic biofilm sulfide production in sewers and related mechanisms were studied. The results showed that the two TWPs at a low concentration (0.1 mg L) exerted no significant (p > 0.05) effects on sulfide yield, whereas exposure to a high concentration of TWPs (100 mg L) inversely affected sulfide yield, with A-TWPs exerting a significant inhibitory effect on sulfide yield in the sewers (p < 0.01). The main reason was that A-TWPs carried higher concentrations of reactive environmental persistent radicals on their surfaces after photoaging than C-TWPs, which could induce the formation of oxygen radicals. In addition, A-TWPs were more uniformly distributed in the wastewater system and could penetrate the biofilm to damage bacterial cells, and their ability to leach polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals such as zinc additives enhanced their toxic effects. In contrast, C-TWPs contributed significantly to sulfide production (p < 0.01), primarily because of their low biotoxicity, ability to leach a considerable amount of sulfide, and stimulatory effect on anaerobic biofilm surface sulfate-reducing bacteria. Our study complements the toxicity studies of the TWPs particles themselves and provides insight on a new influencing factor for determining the changes in sulfide generation and control measures in sewers.
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Toxic effects of environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) on the surface of tire wear particles on freshwater biofilms: The alleviating role after sewage-incubation-aging
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Researchers investigated how tire wear particles affect freshwater biofilms, which are communities of microorganisms that play important roles in aquatic ecosystems. They found that reactive chemical compounds on the surface of fresh tire particles caused significant toxicity, reducing photosynthesis and biological activity in the biofilms. The study suggests that aging in sewage environments reduces the toxicity of tire wear particles by breaking down these harmful surface chemicals.
Deciphering the aging-driven transformation of tire wear particles: Reshaping adsorption, leaching dynamics, and biointerfacial impacts
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Researchers reviewed how environmental aging — via photooxidation, mechanical abrasion, and biodegradation — transforms tire wear particles by increasing surface area and polarity, promoting additive leaching and the formation of reactive free radicals, collectively amplifying ecological toxicity beyond what fresh particles alone would cause.
Comparative effects of raw and aged tire microplastics on anaerobic fermentation of excess sludge
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Tire microplastics (TMs) that have been aged — as happens when they weather in drainage systems before reaching wastewater treatment plants — are more harmful to the bacterial processes that break down sewage sludge than fresh tire particles. This matters because aged tire microplastics impair the production of volatile fatty acids from sludge treatment, disrupting wastewater facilities and potentially allowing more plastic-contaminated effluent to reach waterways.
Interactions between MnO₂ and tire wear particles: Mutual impacts on aging and MnO₂ structural transformation.
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Researchers investigated how three manganese oxide phases interact with tire wear particles and found a synergistic effect with photoaging that raised the oxidation ratio of TWPs by 66%—more than the sum of either process alone—while dissolved organic matter released from aged TWPs in turn inhibited manganese oxide structural transformation, revealing a two-way geochemical feedback in aquatic environments.
A comparative analysis of the chemical composition and biofilm formation on tire wear particles from six different tire types
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Researchers compared the chemical composition and biofilm characteristics of tire wear particles collected from different vehicle types and road conditions, examining how these variables affect toxin and pathogen attachment. Tire wear particle composition varied with source, and surface properties influenced the attachment of microorganisms and contaminants, affecting their hazard potential.
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