Multi-element analysis of tyre rubber for metal tracers

The purpose of this study was to identify a characteristic elemental tyre fingerprint that can be utilised in atmospheric source apportionment calculations. Currently zinc is widely used as a single element tracer to quantify tyre wear, however several authors have highlighted issues with this approach. To overcome this, tyre rubber tread was digested and has been analysed for 25 elements by ICP-MS to generate a multielement profile. Additionally, to estimate the percentage of the tyre made up of inert fillers, thermogravimetric analysis was performed on a subset. Comparisons were made between passenger car and heavy goods vehicle tyre composition, and a subset of tyres had both tread and sidewall sampled for further comparison. 19 of the 25 elements were detected in the analysis. The mean mass fraction of zinc detected was 11.17 g/kg, consistent with previous estimates of 1% of the tyre mass. Aluminium, iron, and magnesium were found to be the next most abundant elements. Only one source profile for tyre wear exists in both the US and EU air pollution species profile databases, highlighting the need for more recent data with better coverage of tyre makes and models. This study provides data on new tyres which are currently operating on-road in Europe and is therefore relevant for ongoing atmospheric studies assessing the levels of tyre wear particles in urban areas.