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Duque-Villaverde A, Armada D, Dagnac T, Llompart M. Recycled tire rubber materials in the spotlight. Determination of hazardous and lethal substances. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 929:172674. [PMID: 38657808 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
One way of recycling end-of-life tires is by shredding them to obtain crumb rubber, a microplastic material (<0.5 mm), used as infill in artificial turf sports fields or as playground flooring. There is emerging concern about the health and environmental consequences that this type of surfaces can cause. This research aims to develop an analytical methodology able to determine 11 compounds of environmental and health concern, including antiozonants such as N-1,3-dimethylbutyl-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD) or N, N´-diphenyl-1,4-phenylenediamine (DPPD), and vulcanization and crosslinking agents, such as N-cyclohexylbenzothiazole-2-sulfenamide (CBS), 1,3-di-o-tolylguanidine (DTG) or hexamethoxymethylmelamine (HMMM) from tire rubber. Ultrasound assisted extraction followed by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UAE-LC-MS/MS) is validated demonstrating suitability. The methodology is applied to monitor the target compounds in forty real crumb rubber samples of different origin including, football pitches, outdoor and indoor playgrounds, urban pavements, commercial samples, and tires. Several alternative infill materials, such as sand, cork granulates, thermoplastic elastomers and coconut fibres, are also collected and analysed. All the target analytes are identified and quantified in the crumb rubber samples. The antiozonant 6PPD is present at the highest concentrations up to 0.2 % in new synthetic fields. The tire rubber-derived chemical 6PPD-quinone (2-((4-methylpentan-2-yl)amino)-5-(phenylamino)cyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione), recently linked to acute mortality in salmons, is found in all types of crumb rubber samples attaining concentrations up to 40 μg g-1 in football pitches. The crosslinking agent HMMM is detected in most of the playing surfaces, at concentrations up to 36 μg g-1. The tested infill alternatives are free of most of the target compounds. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the largest study considering the target compounds in tire rubber particles and the first to focus on these compounds in playgrounds including the analysis of HMMM, 6PPD-quinone and DTG in crumb rubber used as an infill material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andres Duque-Villaverde
- CRETUS, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Science, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, E-15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Daniel Armada
- CRETUS, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Science, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, E-15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Thierry Dagnac
- Agronomic Research Centre (AGACAL-CIAM), Unit of Organic Contaminants, Apartado 10, E-15080 A Coruña, Spain
| | - Maria Llompart
- CRETUS, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Science, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, E-15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
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Milan J, Jurowski K. Hazardous elements in plastic and rubber granules as infill material from sports facilities? Field Portable-XRF spectroscopy as 'white analytical technique' reveals hazardous elements in fall sports facilities in Rzeszów (Podkarpackie, Poland). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 916:170280. [PMID: 38272072 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Plastic and rubber granules are commonly used as infill material in all-weather sports facilities, providing an ideal activity surface for millions of Europeans on a daily basis. However, concerns have been raised about the presence of hazardous elements in these granules, which can pose risks both to the environment and human health. Our study focusses on the elemental composition of rubber granules used in fall sports facilities in Rzeszów, (Podkarpackie, Poland) using field portable X-ray fluorescence (FP-XRF) as a non-destructive and 'white analytical technique'. The results show the content of Zn, Fe, Cr, Ba, Br, Ti, Cu, Cd, As, Au, Bi, Pb, Ni, Sb, and Sn in the rubber granule samples. This study highlights the need for stringent quality control measures and regulations to ensure the safety of all-weather sports facilities and protect the well-being of sportsman. When modern FP-XRF spectrometry is employed as a "white analytical technique," for the first time it becomes possible to identify the presence of hazardous elements, addressing the pressing concerns highlighted by the ECHA and enabling proactive measures to mitigate potential risks. This approach ensures the protection of the health and sustainability of sports facilities, contributing to the ongoing hot topics in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justyna Milan
- Laboratory of Innovative Toxicological Research and Analyzes, Institute of Medical Studies, Medical College, Rzeszów University, Al. mjr. W. Kopisto 2a, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
| | - Kamil Jurowski
- Laboratory of Innovative Toxicological Research and Analyzes, Institute of Medical Studies, Medical College, Rzeszów University, Al. mjr. W. Kopisto 2a, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland; Department of Regulatory and Forensic Toxicology, Institute of Medical Expertises, Łódź, ul. Aleksandrowska 67/93, 91-205 Łódź, Poland.
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Huang Q, Wang J, Wang J, Yu D, Zhan Y, Liu Z. Emerging Health Risks of Crumb Rubber: Inhalation of Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals via Saliva During Artificial Turf Activities. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:21005-21015. [PMID: 38048287 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c03278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Crumb rubber (CR) is a commonly used infill material in artificial turf worldwide. However, the potential health risk associated with exposure to CR containing environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) remains under investigation. Herein, we observed the widespread presence of CR particles in the range of 2.8-51.4 μg/m3 and EPFRs exceeding 6 × 1015 spins/g in the ambient air surrounding artificial turf fields. Notably, the abundance of these particles tended to increase with the number of operating years of the playing fields. Furthermore, by analyzing saliva samples from 200 participants, we established for the first time that EPFR-carrying CR could be found in saliva specimens, suggesting the potential for inhaling them through the oral cavity and their exposure to the human body. After 40 min of exercise on the turf, we detected a substantial presence of EPFRs, reaching as high as (1.15 ± 1.00) × 1016 spins of EPFR per 10 mL of saliva. Moreover, the presence of EPFRs considerably increased the oxidative potential of CR, leading to the inactivation of Ca2+, redox reactions, and changes in spatial binding of the α-1,4-chain of salivary amylase to Ca2+, all of which could influence human saliva health. Our study provides insights into a new pathway of human exposure to CR with EPFRs in artificial turf infill, indicating an increased human health risk of CR exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian'en Huang
- Key Laboratory of Comprehensive and Highly Efficient Utilization of Salt Lake Resources, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, Qinghai 810008, China
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Geology and Environment of Salt Lakes, Xining, Qinghai 810008, China
- Faculty of Agriculture, Life, and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jianqun Wang
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China
| | - Jianping Wang
- Key Laboratory of Comprehensive and Highly Efficient Utilization of Salt Lake Resources, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, Qinghai 810008, China
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Geology and Environment of Salt Lakes, Xining, Qinghai 810008, China
| | - Dongmei Yu
- Key Laboratory of Comprehensive and Highly Efficient Utilization of Salt Lake Resources, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, Qinghai 810008, China
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Geology and Environment of Salt Lakes, Xining, Qinghai 810008, China
| | - Yuanbo Zhan
- Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China
| | - Ze Liu
- Key Laboratory of Comprehensive and Highly Efficient Utilization of Salt Lake Resources, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, Qinghai 810008, China
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Geology and Environment of Salt Lakes, Xining, Qinghai 810008, China
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Zhu R, Yuan Y, Yang Y, Yang Q, Yu A. A simple method for microwave-assisted preparation of tire samples. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20208. [PMID: 37980434 PMCID: PMC10657420 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47309-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Heavy metals content in tires affects the safety of soil and agricultural products. The digestion method is a pretreatment for determining heavy metals in tire samples, and will affect the efficiency and accuracy of the heavy metal determination. The microwave digestion process and reagents for tire samples are not currently standardized. Therefore, this study attempts to provide an appropriate method of resolution for scholars. All digestion processes were performed in Mars One. We tested 15 different acid mixtures to determine the best reagent type and dose and then investigated the effect of maximum temperature, holding time, and sample grams on the degree of digestion. In summary, the best condition to digest the tire sample was a mixture of 3 ml HNO3 and 7 ml H2SO4, taking 0.1 (± 0.0005) g tire sample, at the maximum digestion temperature of 220 °C for 25 min. The experimental conclusion will provide a reliable experimental method for scientists using MARS One to study heavy metals in tires. At the same time, researchers using the MARS series can also find valuable references in this paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renchao Zhu
- College of Civil Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, No. 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, 210037, People's Republic of China
| | - Yingqi Yuan
- College of Civil Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, No. 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, 210037, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Yang
- College of Civil Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, No. 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, 210037, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiyue Yang
- College of Civil Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, No. 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, 210037, People's Republic of China
| | - Aihua Yu
- College of Civil Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, No. 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, 210037, People's Republic of China.
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