Ökotoxikologische Bewertung von Reifenabrieb in Niederschlagabflüssen stark befahrener Straßen (RoadTox)

Project duration: 2021–2025

Funding: LANUV

Principle investigators

• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Johannes Pinnekamp
• Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Henner Hollert

Coordination at the Goethe University, Department Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology (E³T)

• Dr. rer. nat. Sabrina Schiwy

Project Partner

• Landesbetrieb Straßenbau NRW (Außenstelle Köln): Herr Dipl.-Ing. Hanno Schmitz
• Stadtwerke Aachen AG: Herr Dipl.-Ing. Uwe Lorenz

Currently, only few quantitative data on precipitation-induced deposition of tire abrasion into the aquatic environment can be found in the literature. While in the past wastewater treatment plants were extensively studied as a sink for plastic inputs in several in-house (MiKaMi) and external projects (MiWa, OEMP), the fate and ecotoxicological effects of tire abrasion outside these systems are insufficiently understood. Furthermore, there is a lack of data on the interaction of tire abrasion with other pollutants from road runoff. Therefore, this planned interdisciplinary research project will quantify tire abrasion from urban and extra-urban roads as well as federal highways. An ecotoxicological risk assessment of the different inputs will be carried out to prioritize necessary measures for input mitigation. For this purpose, comprehensive bioassays will be performed, which will be combined with literature data to produce a meaningful risk assessment of the input of tire abrasion into the environment. The chosen focus of the proposed project will not be on the individual tire abrasion particles, but on the overall ecotoxicological impact of the road wastewater sample. Based on the quantitative results of the input pathways and the ecotoxicological risk assessment, interdisciplinary recommendations for action to minimize tire abrasion inputs will be developed.