Artificial sport surfaces and adverse effects for human health. A literature review

Abstract

Abstract The management of the Post-Consumer Tyres (PCTs) is still a hot topic. In 2021, the 27 EU Member States plus Norway, Switzerland, and the UK discarded 4,200 Ktons of PCTs. The main application of the rubber granules obtained from their recycling is represented by infill material in synthetic turf playgrounds. These widespread installations have become fundamental tools for the promotion of physical activity, especially among children. However, this material is in the spotlight for the presence in its composition of hazardous substances and for the small size of granules, which the European Commission classified as “microplastics”. This review aims to clarify the scientific knowledge, focusing on the assessment of the bio-accessibility/availability of hazardous chemicals and the risk assessment for users. Eligible articles reporting original data were identified in CAB Direct, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The included articles (preliminary results) variously demonstrated the presence of PAHs, metals, volatile organic compounds, and phthalates in artificial biofluids (n = 9 articles). The risk assessment for these toxicants and the potential cancer risk induction (n = 19), revealed a risk for users from absent or negligible to potential, according to the exposure scenario considered and the relative assumptions, the contaminants, the exposure route, the age of the pitch, and characteristics of the rubber granules such as origin, concentration of the different toxicants, and particle size. The assessment of the potential hazard due to the exposure to artificial sports surfaces is anything but simple. Indeed, the crumb rubber compositions may vary in different settings and over time and can be variously influenced by the climate and environmental conditions, making it difficult to quantify the possible health effects, as well as the specific mixture, the quantities, and sources responsible for them (Funded by LIFE20 GIE FR 282 - RE-PLAN CITY LIFE). Key messages • The bioccessibility of PAHs, metals, volatile organic compounds, and phthalates included in the infill material composition was variously demonstrated in literature. • The assessment of the potential risks due to the exposure to synthetic turf, revealed a risk from negligible to potential, according to the exposure scenario considered and the relative assumptions.