Effects of oral exposure to brake wear particulate matter on the springtail Orthonychiurus folsomi

Most of the heavy metals in urban environments derives from road traffic, particularly from tyres and brake wear (non-exhaust emission sources). These pollutants contaminate the soil, where several organisms have a primary ecosystem role (e.g., springtails, ants, earthworms). Springtails (Collembola) are soil-dwelling animals regulating soil fertility, flow of energy through above-and below-ground food webs, and they contribute to soil microbial community dispersion and biodiversity maintenance. In this study we investigated the ecotoxicological effects of oral exposure to particles emitted from brake pads and cast-iron brake discs in the euedaphic collembola species Orthonychiurus folsomi under laboratory conditions. Our results showed that chronic exposure to brake wear particles can have sub-lethal effects both at low and high concentrations and it can cause histological alterations. Here, SEM-EDX was applied to observe the particulate and we found its chemical markers in the gut and faeces of collembola, while histological analysis detected alterations of the digestive and reproductive systems and of the abdominal fat body at high concentrations.

Automated summary

Most heavy metals in urban environments come from road traffic, especially from tyre and brake wear particles (non-exhaust emission sources). These pollutants contaminate the soil, where certain organisms, such as springtails, ants, and earthworms, play vital roles in the ecosystem. This study investigated the ecotoxicological effects of oral exposure to particles emitted from brake pads and cast-iron brake discs in a soil-dwelling springtail species called Orthonychiurus folsomi under laboratory conditions. The results showed that chronic exposure to brake wear particles can have sub-lethal effects at both low and high concentrations, causing histological alterations.