Scientists make disturbing discovery about common winter vehicle accessory: '[It goes] deep down into the body when inhaled'

Scientists are looking for a better way to fortify tires in winter conditions. One of the conventional solutions, studded winter tires made of cobalt, is effective in saving lives. However, it comes with worrisome perils for both public health and the pavement it's used on.

A research team at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden proposed a promising alternative material in a study published in the Tribology International journal. 

They asserted that their alternative, iron-nickel studs, can cut down on road damage and dangerous airborne particles by 20% without compromising performance in a news release.

"Cobalt is a cheap solution," said researcher Ulf Olofsson. "It's so hard that it doesn't wear down, which is why it's also mass produced for rock drilling tools."

The hardness of cobalt might be a blessing in some cases, but in this application, it's a curse. Instead of merely helping tires grip the road, the cobalt studs crush the road causing damage and sending toxic, inhalable particles into the air.

"Asphalt is soft enough that cobalt-containing studs grind and pulverize it into ultra-fine particles that go deep down into the body when inhaled," Olofsson noted. He revealed that these studs are twice the hardness of asphalt and nine times the hardness of ice in some cases, yet only need to be 20-30% harder to aid road traction for drivers.

"That's overkill," Olfasson pointed out of the striking disparity. Meanwhile, the researchers hope their proposed alternative materials can better hit the desired level of hardness.

Finding better ways to contend with challenging winter conditions like snow and ice is an increasing consideration for scientists in cold climates. Road salts are another area of focus, where the environmental toll and damage to vehicles and roads are becoming increasingly clear. 

In Germany and other locations, their use is heavily regulated with alternative methods encouraged. Canadian scientists, meanwhile, are proposing an innovative heated road solution called borehole thermal energy storage that leverages heat pumps and other green tech.

Studded tires currently feel like a necessary evil in snowy areas, as the KTH team notes they're estimated to save 70 lives annually in Sweden. 

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That being said, areas like Germany and certain states of the US have banned them entirely due to their health risks. A 2018 study by Chalmers University of Technology scientists estimated they cost more lives than they save.

Olofsson attributed the fact that Sweden and other Nordic countries' microscopic pollution from tire, road, and brake wear greatly exceeds exhaust's microscopic pollution to the ubiquitous use of studded tires. This is unlike the EU overall, which has roughly equal microscopic pollution from exhaust and non-exhaust sources.

He also projected that German roads have twice the durability of Swedish ones, due to the country's ban on the tires. That adds up in maintenance and repairs. 

Next up for the KTH scientists is putting their iron-nickel studs' longevity to the test to see if they can demonstrate the needed durability to be a viable alternative to cobalt.

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