Quantifying abrasion of microplastics from mountain bike tires

IF 8.2 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Science of the Total Environment Pub Date : 2025-03-01 DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178971

Fabian Sommer, Luca Brockmann, Manuel J. Steinbauer, Volker Audorff

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Abstract

Current research on microplastics (MPs) primarily focuses on investigating environmental samples, often lacking in identifying the actual sources and emission quantities. Little is known about the quantity of bicycle tire abrasion in real-use scenarios. Mountain biking, a popular outdoor sport produces tire wear particles (TWP) directly in natural environments. This study quantifies microplastic abrasion from mountain bike tires in real-life usage.

We measured the weight loss of mountain bike tires gravimetrically over their period of use to quantify abrasion throughout their lifecycle. We found an abrasion rate of 3.62 g (median) per 100 km per mountain bike. The rate was higher for the rear tire (median 2.32 g; IQR = 1.58 to 3.59 g) compared to the front tire (median 1.32 g; IQR = 1.06 to 2.64 g). After higher abrasion rates of the new tire, rates decrease, and average abrasion stabilizes at around 1.43 g (median front and rear; IQR = 1.07 to 1.60 g) per 100 km per tire. This dynamic is due to the abrasion of excess material and sharp edges produced during manufacturing. Gravimetrically measuring material loss proved effective in assessing MP abrasion from mountain bike tires. Combining these findings with average bicycle kilometrage statistics for Germany results in an emission of 59 to 88 g of tire material per mountain biker per year. Calculated emissions from cycling (rider-number * average kilometrage * abrasion rate) would contribute <1 % to the total annual MPs emissions, significantly lower than motorized vehicle tires, which contribute about 30 %.

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目前对微塑料（MPs）的研究主要集中在环境样本的调查上，往往缺乏对实际来源和排放数量的确定。人们对实际使用场景中自行车轮胎磨损的数量知之甚少。山地自行车作为一种流行的户外运动，会在自然环境中直接产生轮胎磨损颗粒（TWP）。本研究对山地自行车轮胎在实际使用过程中产生的微塑料磨损进行了量化。我们测量了山地自行车轮胎在使用过程中的重量损失，以量化轮胎在整个生命周期中的磨损情况。我们发现，每辆山地自行车每 100 公里的磨损率为 3.62 克（中位数）。后轮胎的磨损率（中位数为 2.32 克；IQR = 1.58 至 3.59 克）高于前轮胎（中位数为 1.32 克；IQR = 1.06 至 2.64 克）。在新轮胎磨损率较高之后，磨损率有所下降，平均磨损率稳定在每个轮胎每百公里 1.43 克左右（前后轮胎中位数；IQR = 1.07 至 1.60 克）。这种动态变化是由于制造过程中产生的多余材料和锋利边缘的磨损造成的。重力测量材料损耗被证明可有效评估山地自行车轮胎的MP磨损。将这些发现与德国自行车平均行驶公里数统计数据相结合，得出每位山地自行车运动员每年排放 59 至 88 克轮胎材料。计算得出的自行车排放量（骑行者数量 * 平均公里数 * 磨损率）将占 MPs 年排放总量的 1%，明显低于机动车轮胎的 30%。

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来源期刊

Science of the Total Environment 环境科学-环境科学

CiteScore

17.60

自引率

10.20%

发文量

8726

审稿时长

2.4 months

期刊介绍： The Science of the Total Environment is an international journal dedicated to scientific research on the environment and its interaction with humanity. It covers a wide range of disciplines and seeks to publish innovative, hypothesis-driven, and impactful research that explores the entire environment, including the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and anthroposphere. The journal's updated Aims & Scope emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary environmental research with broad impact. Priority is given to studies that advance fundamental understanding and explore the interconnectedness of multiple environmental spheres. Field studies are preferred, while laboratory experiments must demonstrate significant methodological advancements or mechanistic insights with direct relevance to the environment.