New insights into car tire rubber particle toxicity: chemical composition and ecotoxicity assessment of leachate on gamete quality of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Thousands of tire rubber particles (TPs) enter the marine environment every year, contributing to microplastic pollution. The toxicity of TPs can be related to the particles themselves or chemical additives, which can leach into seawater and potentially affect marine organisms. The current study pre...

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Main Authors: Ilaria Savino, Amir Nobahar, José P. Da Silva, Pietro Cotugno, Rosaria Notariale, Giuseppe Corriero, Vito Felice Uricchio, Alessandra Gallo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-08-01
Series:Environment International
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412025003381
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author Ilaria Savino
Amir Nobahar
José P. Da Silva
Pietro Cotugno
Rosaria Notariale
Giuseppe Corriero
Vito Felice Uricchio
Alessandra Gallo
author_facet Ilaria Savino
Amir Nobahar
José P. Da Silva
Pietro Cotugno
Rosaria Notariale
Giuseppe Corriero
Vito Felice Uricchio
Alessandra Gallo
author_sort Ilaria Savino
collection DOAJ
description Thousands of tire rubber particles (TPs) enter the marine environment every year, contributing to microplastic pollution. The toxicity of TPs can be related to the particles themselves or chemical additives, which can leach into seawater and potentially affect marine organisms. The current study presents new insights into TPs’ impact on marine organisms’ reproductive processes. The leachates of end-of-life TPs and their adverse effects on gamete quality were evaluated by analysing the chemical compositions of seawater leachates and several gamete physiological parameters, taking the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis as a model. Chemical analyses revealed the leaching of different metals, among which zinc showed the highest level (∼3 mg/L). Organic compounds such as antioxidants, vulcanising and protective agents were annotated in leachates and correlated with the observed harmful effects on the reproductive process. The exposure of oocytes and spermatozoa to TP leachates negatively affects the gamete quality by increasing the mitochondrial activity in both gamete types and decreasing the motility of spermatozoa, which may impair the reproductive success of mussels. Since reproductive success is a key factor in species survival, this study highlights the urgent need to extend the presented research to other marine organisms.
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spelling doaj-art-ed953b9f63c04cf8abaed4f2c1ff24782025-08-20T03:26:29ZengElsevierEnvironment International0160-41202025-08-0120210958710.1016/j.envint.2025.109587New insights into car tire rubber particle toxicity: chemical composition and ecotoxicity assessment of leachate on gamete quality of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialisIlaria Savino0Amir Nobahar1José P. Da Silva2Pietro Cotugno3Rosaria Notariale4Giuseppe Corriero5Vito Felice Uricchio6Alessandra Gallo7Water Research Institute, Italian National Council of Research, CNR-IRSA, V.le F. De Blasio 5, 70132 Bari, ItalyCentre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR/CIMAR LA), University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, PortugalCentre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR/CIMAR LA), University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, PortugalChemistry Department, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Via Orabona 4, I-70126 Bari, ItalyDepartment of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale 1, 80121 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125 Bari, ItalyWater Research Institute, Italian National Council of Research, CNR-IRSA, V.le F. De Blasio 5, 70132 Bari, ItalyDepartment of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale 1, 80121 Naples, Italy; Corresponding author.Thousands of tire rubber particles (TPs) enter the marine environment every year, contributing to microplastic pollution. The toxicity of TPs can be related to the particles themselves or chemical additives, which can leach into seawater and potentially affect marine organisms. The current study presents new insights into TPs’ impact on marine organisms’ reproductive processes. The leachates of end-of-life TPs and their adverse effects on gamete quality were evaluated by analysing the chemical compositions of seawater leachates and several gamete physiological parameters, taking the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis as a model. Chemical analyses revealed the leaching of different metals, among which zinc showed the highest level (∼3 mg/L). Organic compounds such as antioxidants, vulcanising and protective agents were annotated in leachates and correlated with the observed harmful effects on the reproductive process. The exposure of oocytes and spermatozoa to TP leachates negatively affects the gamete quality by increasing the mitochondrial activity in both gamete types and decreasing the motility of spermatozoa, which may impair the reproductive success of mussels. Since reproductive success is a key factor in species survival, this study highlights the urgent need to extend the presented research to other marine organisms.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412025003381Bivalve molluscEnd-of-life car tire particleGamete quality assessmentSeawater leachateMicroplastic
spellingShingle Ilaria Savino
Amir Nobahar
José P. Da Silva
Pietro Cotugno
Rosaria Notariale
Giuseppe Corriero
Vito Felice Uricchio
Alessandra Gallo
New insights into car tire rubber particle toxicity: chemical composition and ecotoxicity assessment of leachate on gamete quality of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis
Environment International
Bivalve mollusc
End-of-life car tire particle
Gamete quality assessment
Seawater leachate
Microplastic
title New insights into car tire rubber particle toxicity: chemical composition and ecotoxicity assessment of leachate on gamete quality of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis
title_full New insights into car tire rubber particle toxicity: chemical composition and ecotoxicity assessment of leachate on gamete quality of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis
title_fullStr New insights into car tire rubber particle toxicity: chemical composition and ecotoxicity assessment of leachate on gamete quality of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis
title_full_unstemmed New insights into car tire rubber particle toxicity: chemical composition and ecotoxicity assessment of leachate on gamete quality of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis
title_short New insights into car tire rubber particle toxicity: chemical composition and ecotoxicity assessment of leachate on gamete quality of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis
title_sort new insights into car tire rubber particle toxicity chemical composition and ecotoxicity assessment of leachate on gamete quality of the mediterranean mussel mytilus galloprovincialis
topic Bivalve mollusc
End-of-life car tire particle
Gamete quality assessment
Seawater leachate
Microplastic
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412025003381
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