Effects of tire leachate on the invasive mosquito Aedes albopictus and the native congener Aedes triseriatus

Abstract

Discarded vehicle tire casings are an important artificial habitat for the developmental stages of numerous vector mosquitoes. Discarded vehicle tires degrade under ultraviolet light and leach numerous soluble metals (e.g., barium, cadmium, zinc) and organic substances (e.g., benzothiazole and its derivatives [BZTs], polyaromatic hydrocarbons [PAHs]) that could affect mosquito larvae that inhabit the tire casing. This study examined the relationship between soluble zinc, a common marker of tire leachate, on mosquito densities in tire habitats in the field, and tested the effects of tire leachate on the survival and development of newly hatched Aedes albopictus and Aedes triseriatus larvae in a controlled laboratory dose-response experiment. In the field, zinc concentrations were as high as 7.26 mg/L in a single tire and averaged as high as 2.39 (SE ± 1.17) mg/L among tires at a single site. Aedes albopictus (37/42 tires, 81.1%) and A. triseriatus (23/42, 54.8%) were the most widespread mosquito species, co-occurred in over half (22/42, 52.4%) of all tires, and A. triseriatus was only collected without A. albopictus in one tire. Aedes triseriatus was more strongly negatively associated with zinc concentration than A. albopictus, and another common mosquito, C. pipiens, which was found in 17 tires. In the laboratory experiment, A. albopictus per capita rate of population change (λ′) was over 1.0, indicating positive population growth, from 0–8.9 mg/L zinc concentration (0–10,000 mg/L tire leachate), but steeply declined to zero from 44.50–89.00 mg/L zinc (50,000–100,000 mg/L tire leachate). In contrast, A. triseriatus λ′ declined at the lower concentration of 0.05 mg/L zinc (100 mg/L tire leachate), and was zero at 0.45, 8.90, 44.50, and 89.00 mg/L zinc (500, 10,000, 50,000 and 100,000 mg/L tire leachate). These results indicate that tire leachate can have severe negative effects on populations of container-utilizing mosquitoes at concentrations commonly found in the field. Superior tolerance to tire leachate of A. albopictus compared to A. triseriatus, and possibly other native mosquito species, may have facilitated the replacement of these native species as A. albopictus has invaded North America and other regions around the world.

Ingestion and Chronic Effects of Car Tire Tread Particles on Freshwater Benthic Macroinvertebrates

“…This implies that car tire TP effects can be more mild or even absent under ecologically relevant conditions than suggested in elutriate tests. 10 , 19 , 22 As the maximum Predicted Environmental Concentrations (PEC) in sediments range from 0.3 to 155 g/kg dry weight, 9 we can conclude that car tire TP pose a low risk to freshwater benthic invertebrates. This is in agreement with previous studies evaluating the effects of TRWP mixed with sediments on aquatic organisms.…”

Dysbiosis in the Gut Microbiota of Soil Fauna Explains the Toxicity of Tire Tread Particles

“…Wagner et al (2018) conducted a review on the toxic effects of TPs in aquatic environments and concluded that the toxicity might be due to leaching of toxic compounds such as Zn . In these toxicology tests, the test organisms were exposed to leachates after the removal of TPs; and exposure led to a significant reduction in survival, − further suggesting that TP-derived compounds are responsible for the high toxicity of TPs. − Moreover, TP leachates treated with ion-exchange or solid-phase extraction (SPE) columns exhibited reduced toxicity, indicating that organic compounds such as PAHs contribute to the toxicity of TPs. , Nevertheless, the mechanisms behind TP-inducted effects on the biota need further investigation.…”

Intercepted Mosquitoes at New Zealand’s Ports of Entry, 2001 to 2018: Current Status and Future Concerns

“…Another physiological adaptation of Ae. albopictus larvae that facilitates their survival in tyres is their superior tolerance to contaminants in tyre leachate compared with other mosquito species [57]. Furthermore, Ae.…”