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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Plastic dispersion and accumulation in the environment using a mass flow analysis approach
ClearPlastics in the global environment assessed through material flow analysis, degradation and environmental transportation
Researchers conducted a global mass flow analysis of plastic emissions across all countries, tracking 8 polymer types across 10 sectors into 7 environmental compartments. The study estimated that 0.8 million tonnes of microplastics and 8.7 million tonnes of macroplastics entered the environment in 2017, with tire wear being the largest source of microplastic emissions. Modeling predicts that even with zero plastic production after 2022, approximately 2.15 gigatonnes of plastics would still accumulate in the environment by 2050 due to landfill leakage and degradation.
Dynamic probabilistic material flow analysis of rubber release from tires into the environment
A dynamic material flow analysis model estimated the annual and cumulative release of rubber from vehicle tires into the environment via road wear, finding that tire rubber represents a substantial fraction of total microplastic pollution in terrestrial and aquatic systems. The study helps quantify this important but often overlooked microplastic source.
A mass budget and box model of global plastics cycling, fragmentation and dispersal in the land-ocean-atmosphere system
Researchers constructed a global mass budget and box model tracking plastic polymer flows from production through fragmentation into microplastics across land, ocean, and atmosphere. The model suggests ocean microplastic stocks are much larger than surface measurements indicate, and that atmospheric transport plays a significant role in redistribution of marine-derived microplastics.
A mass budget and box model of global plastics cycling, degradation and dispersal in the land-ocean-atmosphere system.
Researchers developed a global mass budget and box model tracking plastic cycling across terrestrial, oceanic, and atmospheric reservoirs from 1950 to 2015, incorporating historical production data, fragmentation, and transport dynamics for macroplastics, large microplastics, and small microplastics. The model estimated that the deep ocean (82 Tg) and shelf sediments (116 Tg) represent major plastic reservoirs, and that even maximum feasible reduction scenarios would result in approximately 4-fold increases in atmospheric and aquatic microplastic exposure by 2050 due to legacy plastics already in circulation.
An estimation of tire and road wear particles emissions in surface water based on a conceptual framework
Researchers developed a conceptual framework to estimate emissions of tire and road wear particles (TRWPs) into surface water, identifying them as a dominant source of microplastic contamination in freshwater environments globally.
Probabilistic material flow analysis and emissions modeling for five commodity plastics (PUR, ABS, PA, PC, and PMMA) as macroplastics and microplastics✰
Researchers developed probabilistic material flow models for five engineering plastics (PUR, ABS, PA, PC, PMMA) tracking their flows from production through use to environmental release, providing quantitative estimates of microplastic emissions to air, water, and soil across Europe.
Polymer-Specific Modeling of the Environmental Emissions of Seven Commodity Plastics As Macro- and Microplastics
A polymer-specific material flow model estimated the environmental emissions of seven major commodity plastics as both macro- and microplastics into aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, finding significant differences in emission pathways by plastic type. The model highlights that understanding polymer-specific behavior is essential for accurate pollution estimates and effective mitigation strategies.
Estimation of microplastic emission and transfer into Tokyo Bay, Japan, using material flow analysis
Material flow analysis of the Tokyo Bay watershed estimated that tire-wear particles alone contribute 1,500–1,800 tonnes of microplastics annually, dwarfing emissions from personal care products (~10 tonnes) and textile fibers (~38 tonnes). The findings highlight road runoff as the dominant MP source for coastal urban areas and underscore the need for stormwater management to curb plastic pollution.
Using Dynamic Release Modeling to Predict Historic and Current Macro- and Microplastic Releases
Researchers developed a Dynamic Probabilistic Material Flow Analysis model coupled with a release model to quantify historic and current macro- and microplastic emissions in Switzerland, providing a dataset tracking plastic releases across product lifecycles.
Are vehicle tires major contributors to microplastic emissions into the China seas? A simple model perspective
Researchers developed a model to estimate annual microplastic emissions from vehicle tires into China's marine environment. The study suggests that tire wear particles represent a substantial but often overlooked source of marine microplastics, with transport and fate varying significantly based on physical and chemical properties of the particles.
Wheels of Contamination: Car tire microplastics from source to sea
Researchers traced car tyre microplastics from their generation through environmental transport pathways to eventual deposition in the sea, estimating that more than 55% of tyre-wear particles enter aquatic environments via runoff and atmospheric transport. The study synthesised existing data on tyre microplastic sources, emission rates, and fate to map the full contamination pathway from road surfaces to ocean ecosystems.
A mass budget and box model of global plastics cycling, degradation and dispersal in the land-ocean-atmosphere system
Researchers built a global computer model tracking how 8,300 million metric tons of plastic produced since 1950 cycles through land, ocean, and atmosphere as it fragments into microplastics over time. Their modeling shows that even eliminating all new plastic releases from 2025 onward would still leave small microplastics cycling through the environment for millennia, because of the enormous stockpile of plastic waste already accumulated on land.
Tire Abrasion as a Major Source of Microplastics in the Environment
This study analyzed tire wear particles as a major source of microplastics in the environment, estimating that tire abrasion contributes a substantial fraction of total microplastic emissions globally and highlighting road runoff as a key delivery pathway to waterways.
Tyre wear particles: an abundant yet widely unreported microplastic?
Researchers collected tire wear particles from roadside drains and natural environments near a major UK road, finding that these particles are abundant and widespread yet frequently undetected in environmental monitoring, suggesting tyre wear is a major but under-reported microplastic source.
Using Dynamic Release Modeling to Predict Historic and Current Macro- and Microplastic Releases
Researchers developed a Dynamic Probabilistic Material Flow Analysis model coupled with a release model to quantify historic and current macro- and microplastic emissions in Switzerland, providing a companion dataset to a publication in Resources, Conservation and Recycling.
Wheels of Contamination: Car tire microplastics from source to sea
Researchers traced the pathway of car tire microplastics from their origin on road surfaces through environmental transport routes to marine deposition, estimating that over 55 million kilograms of tire wear particles enter aquatic environments annually. The study synthesized evidence on emission rates, transport mechanisms, and ecological risks associated with tire-derived microplastics reaching the sea.
Global emission, atmospheric transport and deposition trends of microplastics originating from road traffic
This modeling study estimated global emissions, atmospheric transport, and deposition of microplastics from road traffic sources, finding that road-derived microplastics are transported long distances by wind and deposited in remote locations including the Arctic. The findings quantify roads as a globally important source of atmospheric microplastic pollution.
A proxy-based approach to predict spatially resolved emissions of macro- and microplastic to the environment
Using land-use statistics, traffic data, and wastewater infrastructure as proxies, researchers created high-resolution maps of microplastic and macroplastic emissions across Switzerland at the regional level. The approach reveals that plastic pollution is concentrated near urban and high-traffic areas but varies substantially by polymer type and emission source.
Driver, Trends and Fate of Plastics and Micro Plastics Occurrence in the Environment
This review examines the sources, trends, and environmental fate of plastics and microplastics, which have become a major global pollution problem due to massive production and poor waste management. Understanding how plastics move through the environment is essential for designing effective pollution controls.
Swedish sources and pathways for microplastics to the marine environment
Researchers reviewed Swedish sources and transport pathways of microplastics to the marine environment, identifying road tire wear and abrasion as the dominant emission source at approximately 13,000 tonnes per year, with stormwater, wastewater, and atmospheric deposition as primary pathways to aquatic systems.
What is known and unknown concerning microplastics from tyre wear?
This review synthesizes current knowledge on tyre wear particles (TWPs) as a major source of road-traffic microplastics, covering how particle generation, transport pathways, and environmental fate depend on tyre composition, road characteristics, and weather. A key finding is that while TWPs can be identified in environmental samples, quantifying them precisely remains difficult and expensive—a gap that must be closed to accurately assess human and ecological exposure.
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.
A local-to-global emissions inventory of macroplastic pollution.
This study developed a high-resolution global inventory of macroplastic pollution by distributing nationally reported waste management data down to sub-national and local scales, producing maps of plastic emission hotspots. The dataset is intended to support negotiations for a global plastics treaty by providing a data-driven baseline for identifying sources and prioritizing interventions.
Comprehensive approach to national tire wear emissions: Challenges and implications
Researchers developed a comprehensive approach to estimate national tire wear emissions, which are a major source of microplastics in the environment. They found that increasing vehicle weight due to electrification trends and growing traffic volumes are driving higher emissions, while no regulations currently exist for tire wear. The study provides methods needed for tracking changes in tire-related microplastic pollution and supporting future environmental impact assessments.