Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Concentration of Microplastics in Road Dust as a Function of the Drying Period—A Case Study in G City, Korea

Microplastic concentrations in road dust were measured as a function of dry weather duration in a Korean city, finding that plastic levels increased with longer drying periods and were dominated by tire wear and road marking particles. The results suggest that dry periods followed by rainfall events create pulses of microplastic runoff from road surfaces.

2022 Sustainability 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Realistic evaluation of tire wear particle emissions and their driving factors on different road types

This study measured tire wear particle (TWP) emissions under realistic driving conditions on different road types and identified the key driving factors affecting emission rates. Tire wear particles are a major category of microplastic pollution in road runoff, and this data is needed to estimate their contribution to environmental contamination.

2023
Article Tier 2

Characterization of tire and road wear microplastics and phthalates in inhalable PM10 road Dust: Implications for urban air pollution

Researchers conducted the first combined analysis of tire wear microplastics and phthalate chemicals in breathable road dust from Seoul, Korea. They found higher concentrations in industrial areas compared to residential zones, and smaller airborne particles showed different rubber compositions than larger dust, suggesting they come from different wear processes. The study raises concerns about inhalation exposure to tire-derived microplastics and associated chemicals in urban settings.

2025 Environmental Pollution 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Concentrations of tire wear microplastics and other traffic-derived non-exhaust particles in the road environment

Researchers measured actual environmental concentrations of tire wear microplastics and other traffic-derived non-exhaust particles in a rural highway setting, providing field-based data to complement the theoretical estimates that dominate current literature.

2022 Environment International 153 citations
Article Tier 2

Types and concentrations of tire wear particles (TWPs) in road dust generated in slow lanes.

Road dust samples collected near traffic lights contained tire wear particles (TWPs), with the concentration and size distribution varying by location and traffic direction. Tire wear is one of the largest sources of microplastic pollution in urban environments, and these particles are carried into waterways by stormwater runoff.

2024 Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic and tyre wear particles at a highway: a case study from Norway

Researchers monitored microplastics and tire wear particles (tiny rubber fragments shed by vehicles) in air, road runoff, and road dust along a busy Norwegian highway, finding the highest concentrations in road dust and the lowest in air. The study demonstrates that traffic is a major source of microplastic pollution across multiple environmental pathways.

2025 Microplastics and Nanoplastics
Article Tier 2

Features of the highway road network that generate or retain tyre wear particles

This study analyzed highway road network features that contribute to tyre wear particle generation and retention, finding that road curvature, gradient, and surface texture are key factors influencing where tyre-derived microplastics accumulate along road corridors.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 8 citations
Article Tier 2

On airborne tire wear particles along roads with different traffic characteristics using passive sampling and optical microscopy, single particle SEM/EDX, and µ-ATR-FTIR analyses

Researchers used passive sampling and advanced analytical techniques including SEM/EDX and micro-ATR-FTIR to characterize airborne tire wear particles along roads with different traffic volumes and speeds. The study found that tire wear particles, a major category of microplastic pollution, varied in concentration and composition depending on traffic characteristics, highlighting roadways as a significant source of airborne microplastic contamination.

2022 Frontiers in Environmental Science 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Explorations of tire and road wear microplastics in road dust PM2.5 at eight megacities in China

Researchers measured tire and road wear microplastics in road dust from eight major Chinese cities. They found the highest concentrations in northern cities like Lanzhou and Xi'an, likely due to drier conditions increasing road friction, with levels ranging from 86 to 175 micrograms per gram. The study also found correlations between these microplastics and markers of cellular damage, suggesting potential health implications from exposure to tire-derived particles in urban road dust.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification, classification and quantification of microplastics in road dust and stormwater

Researchers identified and quantified microplastics in road dust and stormwater, finding significantly higher concentrations in industrial areas compared to residential zones, with tire wear particles and polyethylene fragments being the most common types.

2022 Chemosphere 80 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparison of traffic-related micro- and nanoplastic concentrations at three urban locations

Researchers measured airborne tire and road wear particles (microplastics shed from vehicle tires) at a busy urban road, a highway, and a park, finding rubber particle concentrations were 2-5 times higher near traffic compared to the park, with levels closely tracking other traffic pollutants like black carbon.

2025 Atmospheric Environment 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Mitigation of Suspendable Road Dust in a Subpolar, Oceanic Climate

Tire and road wear particles (TRWP), a major source of microplastics in waterways, are especially abundant in cold climates where studded tires are common. This study assessed road dust generation and found that traffic volume and road surface conditions are key drivers of TRWP pollution.

2021 Sustainability 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Tire-additive chemicals and their derivatives in urban road dust: Spatial distributions, exposures, and associations with tire and road wear particles

Researchers measured tire-related chemicals and tire wear particles in road dust from Hong Kong and Berlin, finding that highway dust contained up to five times more contamination than other road types. Several of these tire-derived chemicals are linked to health risks including hormone disruption and cardiovascular problems, and the study found that people living near busy roads face higher exposure through accidental dust ingestion.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 13 citations
Article Tier 2

On-Road Vehicle Measurement of Tire Wear Particle Emissions and Approach for Emission Prediction

An instrumented measurement vehicle was developed to quantify tire wear particle emissions under real-world on-road conditions, identifying key driving parameters such as speed, load, and cornering that govern emission rates. The study supports the development of emission factors and regulatory standards for non-exhaust tire-derived microplastic pollution.

2022 Tire Science and Technology 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Elucidation of the Actual State of Existence of Tire-derived Microplastics at Intersections

Researchers sampled road dust at straight road sections and intersections in two areas of Japan and used FTIR to identify tire-derived microplastics, finding higher MP counts in high-traffic areas and at intersection points where multi-directional vehicle movement and turning occur.

2023 Japanese Journal of JSCE 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in surface road dust in Kusatsu (Japan), Da Nang (Vietnam), and Kathmandu (Nepal)

Microplastics were detected in road dust sampled from three Asian cities (Kusatsu in Japan, Da Nang in Vietnam, and Kathmandu in Nepal), with concentrations and polymer types varying by city and sampling location. The study demonstrates that road surfaces are a major reservoir of microplastics in urban environments across diverse Asian contexts.

2019 Environmental Pollution 249 citations
Article Tier 2

Development of a parametrized and regionalized life cycle inventory model for tire and road wear particles

Researchers developed a detailed model for estimating tire and road wear particle emissions, a major but often overlooked source of microplastics from vehicle traffic. The model accounts for nine key factors including road texture, driving behavior, temperature, and tire type, and can generate estimates at both individual vehicle and national scales. The study found that road surface roughness, aggressive driving, and wet conditions are the biggest drivers of large particle emissions, while temperature and vehicle load most affect fine particle release.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Resuspension of microplastics and microrubbers in a semi-arid urban environment (Shiraz, Iran)

Researchers quantified airborne microplastics and microrubbers in road dust across Shiraz, Iran, finding significant resuspension of particles up to 177 cm above road level, highlighting an underappreciated exposure pathway for urban populations.

2022 Environmental Pollution 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Modelled atmospheric concentration of tyre wear in an urban environment

Researchers modeled airborne concentrations of tire wear particles — tiny plastic-containing fragments released when vehicle tires rub against road surfaces — across Stockholm, finding that these microplastic particles are widespread in cities and make up 4–6% of total air particle pollution, with concentrations highest near busy highways and in narrow street canyons.

2023 Atmospheric Environment X 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of tire-derived microplastics (TMPs) focusing on driving behavior

Researchers analyzed tire-derived microplastics (tiny rubber particles shed from vehicle tires) on roadways and found their abundance increased with traffic volume and was further boosted by hard braking — with aggressive braking increasing particle counts by about 28%. These tire particles are a major source of microplastic contamination entering waterways from roads.

2023 H2Open Journal 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Differentiating and Quantifying Carbonaceous (Tire, Bitumen, and Road Marking Wear) and Non-carbonaceous (Metals, Minerals, and Glass Beads) Non-exhaust Particles in Road Dust Samples from a Traffic Environment

Researchers used automated electron microscopy combined with machine learning to identify and count different types of microplastic and wear particles in road dust, finding that tire and bitumen wear particles made up about 19-22% of particles in traffic environments. The method provides a fast, non-destructive way to quantify the types of traffic-generated microplastics polluting urban environments.

2022 Water Air & Soil Pollution 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and risk associated with urban road-deposited microplastics

Researchers collected and analyzed microplastics deposited on urban roads and found average concentrations ranging from 0.33 to 3.64 grams per square meter, with significant variation based on land use and particle size. Road-deposited microplastics were mainly fibers and fragments from tire wear and textile sources, and their risk assessment indicated moderate ecological concern. The study provides new insights into how different urban environments contribute to microplastic pollution through road runoff.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Urban wash-off of tire wear particles

Researchers used a rainfall simulator to study how tire wear particles, an important class of microplastics, are washed off road surfaces during storm events. They found that low surface roughness, high rainfall intensity, and low slope produced the fastest and most complete mobilization of tire wear particles. The study reveals that larger tire particles moved faster than smaller ones, and flow depth was the most important factor governing wash-off behavior.

2026 Journal of Hydrology
Article Tier 2

Characteristics of Vehicle Tire and Road Wear Particles’ Size Distribution and Influencing Factors Examined via Laboratory Test

Researchers conducted laboratory tests to characterize the size distribution of tire and road wear particles under various conditions. The study found that factors such as driving speed, tire composition, and road surface characteristics significantly influence the size and quantity of wear particles released, which are a growing source of microplastic pollution.

2024 Atmosphere 12 citations