Particle characterization in an urban synthetic turf: insights into turf and vehicular wear

Urban artificial turf fields can contain particulate matter (PM), including fine, submicron, and nano-sized particles, which can penetrate the lungs and bloodstream and generate oxidative stress and cell damage. Endurance sports, such as football (soccer), result in increased inhalation of PM. This study presents an X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) characterization of dust, synthetic turf, and crumb rubber infill samples from an urban synthetic turf field, to investigate environmental geochemistry, characteristics, and exposure pathways, along with an evaluation of air quality based on data from a meteorological monitoring station, to support deterministic human health risk assessment. Results revealed the presence of irregular and elongated fine, submicron, and nano-sized particles from SEM observations and DLS characterization. XRF analysis identified Fe as the dominant element. SEM-EDS confirmed the presence of Fe, Si, Al, and Br-containing particles, while stub-based sampling on players detected anthropogenic elements such as Ni, Ag, and Rh. During the sampling period, ambient PM_2.5 averaged 10.93 µg/m³ (24-h average), while O₃ reached a 1-h concentration of 41.12 ppb, consistent with active photochemical conditions in the urban atmosphere. Although the deterministic USEPA assessment suggested no significant non-carcinogenic risk for selected XRF-analyzed metals, the combined presence of nano-sized and submicron particles with O₃ and traffic-related pollutants contextualizes the exposure scenario. These findings suggest that synthetic turf degradation and urban emissions may contribute to the observed exposure conditions and reinforce the need to evaluate their long-term health effects in exposed populations.