Plastic particles from tires make it difficult for many fish and shrimp to swim and die abnormally

Yet another dangerous effect of plastic pollution on ecosystems and the health of many living species.

Scientists have recently discovered more effects of plastic pollution on the environment and living organisms, including the toxic effects of plastic particles on human cells, or even entering into blood-brain barrier in rats.

In another study, the scientists also found that plastic particles from worn tires found in aquatic environments cause adverse effects on many marine species. It not only causes growth abnormalities but can also be fatal.

 Plastic particles from worn tires cause adverse effects on many marine species.

Earlier research showed that about 1.5 million tons of plastic particles from tires enter the environment each year in the US. This is the result of daily wear and tear that causes car tires to lose about 30% of their mass over their lifetime.

This makes plastic particles from tires one of the most common forms of microplastics in aquatic environments. It is particles composed of neoprene, fillers, oils and additives, and washes away chemicals known as leachate.

Study author Susanne Brander said: 'I see people only measuring the levels of plastic particles from tires, but very few measure their impact. It's really a void and we're trying to fill it."

Microplastics from old tires collect in bodies of water.

To get around this, Brander and her colleagues at Oregon State University performed a pair of experiments, exploring the effects of microplastics from tires less than 5mm long and nanoplastics from tires. small vehicles on living marine organisms, in both freshwater and estuarine ecosystems.

Estuary species such as Inland Silverside small fish and shrimp-like crustaceans have been exposed to small concentrations of plastic in the environment. And microplastics have dramatically changed swimming behavior, making it more difficult for them to find food and avoid predators.

Microplastics appear in the abdomens of shrimp-like crustaceans.

Both species experienced a reduction in growth when exposed to microplastics, while Inland Silverside fish suffered a similar effect in response to the nanoparticles. Apparently wastewater is affecting their behavior but not growth.

In experiments in freshwater, the scientists tested zebrafish embryos and a crustacean called Daphnia magna. Both reported mortality and developmental abnormalities from exposure to plastic particles from tires and leachate.

The latest study is generally quite similar to a similar study from 2020, which demonstrated that microplastics can cause strong aneurysms and alter fertility in fish.

The image under the microscope shows microplastics from large tires and surrounded by nanoparticles

Of course, scientists have proposed many solutions to prevent microplastics discharged from car tires from entering the environment. These include installing systems that collect microplastics on the road and in vehicles and developing more durable tires that emit less microplastics.

Study author Stacey Harper said: 'The focus on microplastics and now on nanoplastics is still relatively new. We are now at the point of making policy decisions that have no scientific basis. That's why we need more scientific research."

The study was published recently in the journal Chemosphere and the journal Hazardous Materials.