Ecology and Environmental Sciences ›› 2025, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (11): 1770-1777.DOI: 10.16258/j.cnki.1674-5906.2025.11.010

• Research Article [Environmental Science] • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The Content Characteristics, Ecological and Human Health Risk Assessments of Heavy Metals in Typical Tire Wear Particles (TWPs)

LIANG Yadi1(), YAO Xuewen1, LI Hanbo1, CHEN Zhihuai1, LI Hongbo2, OUYANG Minghan1, LUO Xiaosan1,*()   

  1. 1. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Agriculture Meteorology/School of Ecology and Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, P. R. China
    2. School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, P. R. China
  • Received:2025-04-04 Online:2025-11-18 Published:2025-11-05

典型轮胎磨损颗粒中重金属的含量特征及生态和健康风险评估

梁亚迪1(), 姚雪雯1, 李涵博1, 陈志怀1, 历红波2, 欧阳铭韩1, 罗小三1,*()   

  1. 1.南京信息工程大学生态与应用气象学院/江苏省农业气象重点实验室,江苏 南京 210044
    2.南京大学环境学院,江苏 南京 210008
  • 通讯作者: E-mail: xsluo@nuist.edu.cn
  • 作者简介:梁亚迪(1997年生),女,硕士研究生,研究方向为大气环境与健康。E-mail:15236265027@163.com
  • 基金资助:
    国家自然科学基金项目(42477467)

Abstract:

Tire wear particles (TWPs) are a major source of microplastics in the environment. Heavy metals and other additives or pollutants pose risks to ecosystems through pathways such as runoff and threaten human health through airborne dust; however, such quantitative information remains extremely scarce. To investigate the characteristics of heavy metal pollution in TWPs from different types of tires, this study collected tread wear particles from 11 representative new tires of five common vehicle types (heavy trucks, light trucks, passenger cars, motorcycles, and bicycles) by simulating wear in the laboratory. We analyzed the content distribution of typical heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in TWPs, evaluated their ecological risks in aquatic sediment environments using the potential ecological risk index (IER), and assessed human health risks through inhalation exposure pathways using the non-carcinogenic hazard index (IH) and carcinogenic risk (ICR) indices. The results showed that the total content of heavy metals in TWPs was ranked as follows: heavy trucks>light trucks>passenger cars>motorcycles>bicycles. The highest concentration of Zn was observed in the TWPs of passenger cars, Cr was highest in motorcycle TWPs, and the other measured metals were highest in heavy truck TWPs. The average metal content in various TWPs showed the pattern of Zn>>Mn>Cr>Pb>Cu>Ni>Cd. In terms of sediment ecological risks, the heavy metals in TWPs showed a general pattern of Cu>Pb>Zn>Ni>Cd>Cr>>Mn, and the ranking of IER was heavy trucks (especially Cd, Pb, and Cu)>>light trucks>motorcycles>passenger cars>>bicycles. Regarding the human health risks of heavy metals in TWPs via fugitive dust inhalation, the non-carcinogenic hazard index was higher for children than for adults, with the following order: Mn>Cr>Cd>>Pb>Zn>Ni>Cu, and heavy trucks>>motorcycles>light trucks>passenger cars>bicycles. The lifetime carcinogenic risk followed the ranking of Cr>>Cd>Ni, with the pattern motorcycles>>heavy trucks>light trucks>passenger cars>bicycles. This implies that enhanced protective measures against suspended TPWs are necessary for the occupational population and for children. These findings indicate that harmful heavy metals in tire tread materials can be transferred into water and air environments through TWPs emissions from road traffic, posing ecological risks (Cu, Pb) and health risks (Cr, Mn, Cd), particularly from heavy trucks and motorcycles. Therefore, targeted measures are suggested to control environmental pollution by microplastics and heavy metals from road traffic sources.

Key words: microplastics, tire wear particles (TWPs), heavy metal pollution, environmental risk assessments, tire types

摘要:

轮胎磨损颗粒物(Tire Wear Particles,TWPs)作为环境中微塑料的主要来源之一,其所含的重金属等添加剂和污染物成分不仅通过径流等途径对生态系统造成风险,也会经扬尘等形式进入空气而威胁人体健康,但相关信息尚极度匮乏。为探究不同类型轮胎来源TWPs的重金属污染特征,在实验室模拟制备了重型货车、轻型货车、乘用汽车、摩托车、自行车这5种常见车型共计11个代表性的全新轮胎的胎面磨损颗粒,分析了其典型重金属(Cd、Cr、Cu、Mn、Ni、Pb、Zn)的含量分布,并采用潜在生态风险指数(IER)对TWPs进入水环境后其重金属的生态风险进行了评价,以及非致癌危害(IH)和致癌风险(ICR)指数对其大气颗粒物呼吸暴露途径进行人体健康风险评估。 结果如下:不同类型TWPs中所测重金属元素总含量为重型货车>轻型货车>乘用汽车>摩托车>自行车轮胎,其中Zn含量以乘用汽车TWPs最高,Cr为摩托车最高,其它元素均以重型货车最高;TWPs中各元素平均含量为Zn>>Mn>Cr>Pb>Cu>Ni>Cd。沉积物生态风险方面,TWPs中各元素的平均顺序为Cu>Pb>Zn>Ni>Cd>Cr>>Mn,IER为重型货车(尤其是Cd、Pb、Cu)>>轻型货车>摩托车>乘用汽车>>自行车。TWPs中重金属经扬尘吸入暴露的人体健康风险方面,非致癌危害为儿童高于成人,Mn>Cr>Cd>>Pb>Zn>Ni>Cu,重型货车>>摩托车>轻型货车>乘用汽车>自行车;终身致癌风险为Cr>>Cd>Ni,摩托车>>重型货车>轻型货车>乘用汽车>自行车;职业人群、儿童需加强防护。可见,轮胎胎面材料所含的有害重金属成分可通过道路交通排放TWPs形式进入水体和大气环境分别造成生态(Cu、Pb)和健康(Cr、Mn、Cd)风险,尤其是重型货车和摩托车,因此环境中微塑料和重金属的污染防控需加强相关针对性措施。

关键词: 微塑料, 轮胎磨损颗粒物(TWPs), 重金属污染, 环境风险评价, 轮胎类型

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