Determination of tire wear markers in soil samples and their distribution in a roadside soil. (May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Müller, Axel; Kocher, Birgit; Altmann, Korinna; Braun, Ulrike
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 294(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-05
• Subjects: Tyre wear -- Microplastics -- SBR -- Zinc -- Soil samples -- TED-GC/MS; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133653
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: Tire wear (TW) constitutes a significant source of microplastic in terrestrial ecosystems. It is known that particles emitted by roads can have an effect up to 100 m into adjacent areas. Here, we apply for the first-time thermal extraction desorption gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TED-GC/MS) to determine TW in soil samples by detection of thermal decomposition products of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), without additional enrichment. Additionally, zinc contents were determined as an elemental marker for TW. Mixed soil samples were taken along three transects along a German motorway in 0.3, 2.0, and 5.0 m distance from the road. Sampling depths were 0–2, 2–5, 5–10, and 10–20 cm. Four fine fractions, 1 000–500, 500–100, 100–50, and <50 μm, were analyzed. TW contents based on SBR ranged from 155 to 15 898 mg kg −1 . TW contents based on zinc were between 413 and 44 812 mg kg −1 . Comparison of individual values of SBR and zinc reveals SBR as a more specific marker. Results confirm that most TW ends up in the topsoil within a 2 m distance. The sampling strategy resulted in representative data for a larger area. Standard deviations of quadruple TED-GC/MS determination of SBR were <10% for all grain size fractions. TED-GC/MS is a suitable analytical tool for determining TW in soil samples without the use of toxic chemicals, enrichment, or special sample preparation. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Determination of styrene-butadiene rubber as tire constituent using TED-GC/MS. Determination of zinc content as tire constituent using ICP-OES. Representative sampling strategy with large-volume mixed samples. Tire wear content is decreasing with increasing sampling depth and distance to road. Deposited tire wear particles are mainly present in soil fraction <100 μm.