Occurrence of tire-derived microplastics (TMPs) focusing on driving behavior

Recently, microplastic (MP) contamination of the aquatic environment has been reported. Marine MP pollution (especially terrestrial-sourced MPs derived from vehicle tires) is considered a global problem because marine organisms may ingest toxic substances. In this study, we analyzed the generation and occurrence of tire-derived MPs (TMPs) that originate from tire dust on roadways and also focused on driving behavior. The results suggested that the number of TMPs increased in proportion to the increase in traffic volume within the range of 10,000–30,000 vehicles/day. The influence of driving behavior was explored by comparing the number of TMPs at distances of 30, 50 and 70 m from the stop line and by assuming a difference in braking behavior. Traffic video was recorded in conjunction with sampling and was analyzed in parallel with the TMPs. The results demonstrated that brakes were applied for an acceleration rate of over −10 m/s2 at distances of 60 and 80 m from the stop line, which resulted in an approximate increase of 28% in the number of TMPs at approximately 70 m. With these results, it can be concluded that the number of TMPs increases due to the traffic volume and braking behavior.