TYRES may be a potential source of carcinogenic dibenzopyrenes – a type of high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) – to the environment, according to researchers from Stockholm University.
The goal of the Swedish research was to determine the level of dibenzopyrenes in tyres and its impact to the environment. Eight types of tyres of high molecular weight for PAH were evaluated using pressurised fluid extraction.PAH is a class of organic compounds produced by incomplete combustion or high-pressure processes.
PAHs primarily occur in complex mixtures; many are classified as carcinogenic/mutagenic environmental toxins with the potential to cause negative long-term effects both in humans and in the aquatic environment. Findings of this study suggest that tyre tread-wear could be a larger contributor of PAH than diesel vehicle exhaust and residential oil heating. Still in its preliminaries, the findings require further research to better understand tyre-particle generation and distribution in the environment in order to assess the implications to human health and environment.(PRA)
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