Determining accurate TRWP concentrations in sediment is necessary in order to evaluate the likelihood that these particles present a risk to the aquatic environment.
Sampling was completed in the Seine (France), Chesapeake (U.S.), and Yodo-Lake Biwa (Japan) watersheds to quantify TRWP in the surficial sediment of watersheds characterized by a wide diversity of population densities and land uses.
The study used a novel quantitative pyrolysis-GC/MS analysis for rubber polymer, and should provide useful information for assessing potential aquatic effects related to tire service life.
