Tire wear particles concentrations in gully pot sediments

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Tire wear and tear is a significant source of environmental microplastics.
• Current monitoring of tire wear particles (TWP) is limited by a lack of precise analytical methods.
• TWP in road runoff accumulate in gully pots, impacting drainage systems and receiving waters.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and apply a novel analytical method for detecting and quantifying TWP in gully pot sediments.
• To assess TWP concentrations across different traffic densities and patterns in Southern Norway.
• To support environmental pollution management through improved TWP monitoring.

Main Methods:

• Simultaneous Thermal Analysis (STA) coupled with Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.
• Analysis of gaseous pyrolysis products from whole sediment samples using FTIR.
• Application of Parallel Factor Analysis (PARAFAC) to multi-way FTIR data for quantification.

Main Results:

• TWP concentrations in gully pot sediments varied significantly, from <1 mg TWP/g sediment to 150 mg TWP/g sediment.
• Higher traffic densities correlated with increased TWP concentrations.
• Driving patterns were also identified as a factor influencing TWP levels.

Conclusions:

• The novel STA-FTIR-PARAFAC method effectively quantifies TWP in gully pot sediments without pretreatment.
• This approach facilitates crucial environmental monitoring of TWP pollution.
• The findings aid in the safe management and disposal of gully pot sediments, mitigating environmental risks.