Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Characteristics of Real-world Non-exhaust Particulates from Vehicles

Researchers characterized non-exhaust particulate emissions from vehicle tire and road wear, collecting atmospheric PM samples with a high-volume quartz filter sampler and using pyrolysis-GC/MS to analyze tire rubber markers including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals, quantifying the contribution of tire-brake-road wear particles to urban air pollution.

2022 Preprints.org 3 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

Characteristics of Real-world Non-exhaust Particulates from Vehicles

Researchers analyzed non-exhaust particulate emissions from vehicles by collecting tire and atmospheric PM samples, using pyrolysis-GC/MS and ICP/MS to identify polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals as markers, and found that tire and road wear particles contribute substantially to atmospheric particulate matter with toxicological implications.

2022 Preprints.org 3 citations
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

Mass concentrations of common microplastics and tire wear rubbers in urban air

Researchers measured mass concentrations of common microplastics and tire wear rubber particles in urban ambient air, providing quantitative data for inhalation exposure assessment. Tire wear rubber dominated the airborne particle mass in traffic-influenced areas, exceeding concentrations of synthetic polymer microplastics.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

Mass concentrations of common microplastics and tire wear rubbers in urban air

Researchers measured mass concentrations of common microplastics and tire wear rubber particles in ambient urban air, providing quantitative data on airborne plastic pollution that is scarce compared to research on aquatic environments. Tire wear particles were identified as a significant component of airborne plastic contamination in urban settings.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Tyre Wear Particles in the Environment: Sources, Toxicity, and Remediation Approaches

This review examines tire wear particles, which account for a major share of global microplastic pollution with 1.3 million metric tons released annually in Europe alone. These rubber-based particles contain heavy metals and toxic organic chemicals that contaminate air, water, and soil, and human exposure occurs through inhaling dust, eating contaminated food, and drinking water, raising concerns about respiratory, cardiovascular, and cancer risks.

2025 Sustainability 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) in urban air: polymer composition, interactions and inhalation risk

Researchers characterized airborne micro- and nanoplastics in urban air using pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry on size-fractionated aerosol samples. The study found total concentrations averaging 0.6 micrograms per cubic meter, with tire wear particles as a dominant source, highlighting an underestimated threat to urban air quality and human respiratory health.

2025 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental occurrence, fate, impact, and potential solution of tire microplastics: Similarities and differences with tire wear particles

This review examines tire microplastics, one of the most abundant types of microplastics in the environment, which come from tire wear on roads, recycled tire rubber, and tire repair dust. These particles carry a complex mix of chemicals including heavy metals and organic pollutants that can harm aquatic and soil organisms. Since tire microplastics end up in waterways and soil near roads, they represent a significant but often overlooked source of human microplastic exposure.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 259 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of physical and chemical properties of particulate matter caused by vehicle tire wear

Researchers characterized the physical and chemical properties of submicron tire wear particles generated from vehicle use on roadways. Using advanced analytical techniques, they identified the elemental composition and morphological structure of these particles, finding notable concentrations of metals and heavy metals. The study highlights that tire wear particles are a significant source of microplastic and chemical pollution with potential implications for human health and the environment.

2023 International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Tracks of travel: unveiling tire particle concentrations in Swiss cantonal road soils

Researchers quantified tire wear particle concentrations in roadside soils along fifteen Swiss cantonal roads with relatively low traffic volumes. They found average concentrations of 111,000 particles per kilogram of dry soil, with particle counts and sizes decreasing with increasing distance from the road. The study also found positive relationships between tire wear particle numbers and associated pollutants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and trace metals.

2025 Microplastics and Nanoplastics 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Chemical Leaching from Tire Wear Particles with Various Treadwear Ratings

Researchers investigated how tire treadwear ratings affect chemical leaching from tire wear particles, finding that benzothiazole compounds leached at different rates depending on tire type, with an additional derivative (2-mercaptobenzothiazole) detected by high-resolution mass spectrometry. The findings suggest that using benzothiazole alone as a quantification marker for tire wear particles can lead to inaccurate estimates of environmental contamination.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Tracking the source: First evidence of Benzothiazoles in outdoor airport aerosol

Researchers detected chemical compounds called benzothiazoles — used as additives in rubber tires and released when tires wear down — for the first time in outdoor air samples collected at Milan's Linate airport, linking them to aircraft tire abrasion during landings and takeoffs. The findings identify airports as an overlooked source of tire wear microplastic particles and associated toxic chemicals in the atmosphere.

2025 Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology
Systematic Review Tier 1

A review of rubber tyre derived micro- and nanoplastics: fate, impact and risks

This systematic review examines microplastics generated from rubber tire wear, which are a major but often overlooked source of microplastic pollution. Tire particles spread through air, stormwater, and wastewater to contaminate both land and water. This is an important human health concern because tire-derived microplastics contain toxic chemicals and are found in the air people breathe and the water they drink.

2025 Environmental Geotechnics 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

About the variability of tire and road wear marker components in air: from emissions to atmospheric deposition

Scientists developed a new method to track tiny particles that come from car tires wearing down on roads, which are now recognized as one of the biggest sources of microplastic pollution worldwide. They found these tire particles can travel far from roads through the air and change into different chemicals, including some that may be harmful. This matters because these airborne tire particles could pose risks to human health and the environment, but we're just starting to understand how much is actually in the air we breathe.

2026
Article Tier 2

Chemical composition and potential health risks of tire and road wear microplastics from light-duty vehicles in an urban tunnel in China

Researchers collected tire and road wear microplastics from a traffic tunnel in China and analyzed their chemical makeup, finding high levels of phthalates, rubber compounds, and other potentially harmful substances. Concentrations varied by time of day, peaking during rush hours when traffic was heaviest. The study suggests that tire-derived microplastics carry a cocktail of chemicals that could pose health risks to people who live or work near busy roads.

2023 Environmental Pollution 31 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

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

An in vitro comparison of the toxicological profiles of ground tire particles (TP) and actual tire and road wear particles (TRWP) emissions

Researchers compared the lung toxicity of ground tire particles and real tire-and-road wear particles collected from traffic, finding that both triggered inflammation in alveolar immune cells (macrophages) but neither caused significant cell death or oxidative damage. Real road particles prompted slightly more inflammation than pure tire rubber, suggesting the rubber itself drives most of the lung harm from tire pollution.

2024 Environment International 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Tread lightly: immuno-toxicological health effects of traffic-related polymers in healthy adults.

Researchers studied the immunotoxicological effects of traffic-related micro- and nanoplastics in commuters exposed to tire wear particle emissions. Elevated exposure to airborne tire wear polymers was associated with measurable changes in immune cell profiles.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

A comparative analysis of the chemical composition and biofilm formation on tire wear particles from six different tire types

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.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Micro and Nano Pollutants from Tires and Car Brakes Generated in Winter Season in the Poznan City Urban Environment

Tire and brake pad wear from vehicles releases rubber particles and metal-oxide pollutants at the micro and nanoscale into the urban environment, with snow deposits in Poznan, Poland found to contain rubber residues smaller than 2 micrometers. These non-exhaust traffic emissions represent a significant and often overlooked pathway for microplastic and metal pollution in cities, with implications for urban air, soil, and water quality.

2024 Preprints.org 3 citations