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Recycled tires for wastewater treatment

Chemical and biological analyses were performed using due to a lack of cost-effective disposal methods, which
standard methodologies. poses a significant environmental problem. Globally,
The experiment lasted 6 months (from March 1 efforts are underway to find solutions efficient solutions
to August 31, 2024) under laboratory conditions, for tire utilization and to extend their safe operating
using a setup measuring 1 m × 0.5 m × 0.8 m, with lifespan. The most frequently discussed approaches in
a wastewater flow rate of 20 dm /day. The water first the literature for reducing the volume of used tire waste
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passed through a filtering layer of rubber granules include: utilizing tires as fuel through energy recovery;
(particle size 2 – 10 mm), which captured mechanical shredding and repurposing the material for various
pollutants and adsorbed organic contaminants. It then applications; and modifying tire designs to enhance
reached the plant roots, which absorbed biogenic durability and prolong usability, such as through
substances and facilitated biological treatment. retreading or altering their chemical composition. 1
The filtrate analysis was performed on the day Dębska et al. documented the results of tests on
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of sampling, with three replicates used to determine epoxy solutions in which sand was replaced with
parameters such as suspended solids concentration, granules made from used tires in amounts of 0, 20, 40,
nitrates, phosphates, ammonium, chemical oxygen 60, 80, and 100% by volume. As the proportion of tire
demand (COD), and biological oxygen demand (BOD ). waste increased, the composite’s strength parameters
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decreased. Nevertheless, the resulting material showed
2.2. Analysis of methods based on literature low water absorption and a low thermal conductivity
2.2.1. Modern methods of used tire utilization coefficient. Using ADINA software, a numerical
The rapid growth of the automotive industry, coupled simulation of temperature distribution was conducted on
with improvements in living standards, has resulted in a a section of a building structure containing the modified
substantial increase in the production of car tires, which rubber solution. The simulation results confirmed the
require proper disposal once they reach the end of their composite’s practical applicability due to its excellent
lifecycle. thermal insulation properties. 9
Torosian and Chernyaev investigated the The use of rubber crumbs to modify road bitumen
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environmental risks associated with car tires during represents an environmentally sustainable solution for
their usage, assessing the extent of dust pollution and rubber waste management. Enhancing the stability of
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its effects on human health. They proposed a schematic rubber crumb-modified road asphalt mixtures is a critical
for an international environmental safety control system environmental strategy for the future. Plewa presented
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designed to regulate tire usage. This system includes a the findings of fatigue resistance tests conducted on
procedural algorithm aimed at reducing risks associated asphalt concrete with asphalt rubber binders. The results
with improper or disorganized tire disposal. demonstrated that mineral-rubber-asphalt mixtures
Shaker and Mohammed presented various methods exhibited improved functional properties compared to
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for recycling automotive waste – such as oils, tires, conventional mineral-asphalt mixtures.
and glass – and discussed the economic feasibility Chen et al. stated that used car tires have emerged as
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of disposal and the potential of applying recycling one of the fastest-growing types of solid waste in China.
processes in the city of Divaniya to reduce the amount The paper examined the current recycling potential of
and volume of waste. pyrolysis, which is regarded as a promising technology
Waste from car tires belongs to the category of for processing used tires. In addition, Chen et al. propose
waste subjected to industrial recycling. Thermal a novel pyrolysis method designed to overcome the
decomposition of polymer waste is one of the limitations of existing tire recycling technologies and
promising options for tire processing; however, it mitigate the growing tire waste crisis.
remains relatively expensive. In addition to incineration Pyrolysis is currently a modern technology used
for energy purposes, tire waste can be mechanically to recover fuel and soot from used tires. However,
processed – for example, by shredding – and used in the detailed mechanisms of degradation and kinetics
road construction. While increasing fragmentation of tire pyrolysis remain under-researched. Shahi
significantly improves functionality, it also raises et al. investigated the pyrolysis of the tread, sidewall,
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operational costs, making the process less cost-effective. and inner liner of used light vehicle tires using
Of the total waste, 2 – 2.5 million tons of used tires thermogravimetric analysis. The degradation profiles
were reprocessed in the EU, of which only 23% were of these tire components were predicted using different
reused. The remaining used car tires are not disposed of kinetic models.

Volume 22 Issue 2 (2025) 207 doi: 10.36922/AJWEP025080051