We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microplastic pollution in a stormwater floating treatment wetland: Detection of tyre particles in sediment
AI summary Read the abstract
A study of a stormwater floating treatment wetland found microplastics including tire-derived rubber particles accumulating in the wetland sediments, confirming that such systems can act as a sink for stormwater-borne plastic pollution. Tire particles were identified as a major contributor, highlighting roads as a key source of microplastic contamination in urban runoff.
Synthetic rubber particles released from car tyres are expected to be an important type of microplastics in the environment, with road runoff and stormwater likely to transport tyre particles to the aquatic environment. Stormwater treatment wetlands are one of the key methods for treating road runoff and stormwater, but the presence and concentration of synthetic rubber microplastics from tyre particles in wetlands are largely unknown. In addition, constructed floating wetlands can be built using recycled PET plastic bottles, raising concerns about potential release of microplastics to the environment. In this study, we measured the concentrations of microplastics in water and sediment from the inlet and outlet of a stormwater floating treatment wetland on Queensland's Gold Coast. An average of 0.9 ± 0.3 and 4.0 ± 2.4 microplastic particles/L were detected in the water phase in the inlet and outlet samples, respectively. The sediment contained an average of 595 ± 120 and 320 ± 42 microplastic particles/kg dry sediment in inlet and outlet sediments, respectively. Between 15 and 38% of microplastics in the sediment were identified by FTIR as synthetic rubber-carbon filled particles, most likely derived from car tyres. The presence of synthetic rubber microplastics confirms that tyres can contribute to microplastic pollution in stormwater, with road runoff likely to be an important pathway. No microplastics with the same characteristics and polymer composition as the floating wetland construction material were detected in the water and sediment samples, indicating that the microplastics in the water and sediment detected here did not originate from the floating wetland's material. However, further investigation of older treatment wetlands is required to better understand the potential role of floating treatment wetlands as a source of microplastics.
More Papers Like This
Microplastics and Tire Wear Particles in Urban Stormwater: Abundance, Characteristics, and Potential Mitigation Strategies
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in urban stormwater and found levels ranging from about 4 to 59 particles per liter, with tire wear particles making up roughly 95% of all particles detected. Microlitter capture devices reduced microplastic loads by 35 to 88%, and constructed wetlands provided additional removal. The study suggests that targeted stormwater treatment infrastructure could meaningfully reduce the flow of microplastics into rivers and coastal waters.
Relevance of tyre wear particles to the total content of microplastics transported by runoff in a high-imperviousness and intense vehicle traffic urban area.
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers characterized microplastics and tire wear particles (TWPs) transported by urban stormwater runoff in a highly impervious catchment, finding that TWPs made up a substantial fraction of the total microplastic load in sediments of a stormwater detention reservoir. The study underscores the contribution of road traffic to microplastic pollution entering waterways.
Microplastics in a highway stormwater system: concentrations and variability during rainfall
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested stormwater collected during rainfall at a Swedish highway and found microplastics, including tyre-related rubber particles, in every sample. Tyre particles made up about 41% of the total microplastics measured, confirming tyres as a major source, though concentrations varied widely and did not clearly relate to other measured pollutants like metals.
Microplastics from tyre and road wear A literature review
AI summary Read the abstract
This literature review examines microplastics generated from tire and road wear, identifying road traffic as a significant but often overlooked source of plastic pollution in urban runoff and waterways. The authors assess what is known about tire particle composition, environmental fate, and potential ecological effects.
Retention of microplastics and tyre wear particles in stormwater ponds
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers analyzed stormwater retention ponds to assess their effectiveness at capturing microplastics and tire wear particles from urban runoff. They found microplastics in all water samples and significantly higher concentrations in pond sediments, suggesting that the ponds do retain a portion of these pollutants. The study indicates that while stormwater ponds offer some mitigation, their long-term performance for trapping emerging contaminants like microplastics needs further evaluation.
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.