Tyre microplastics: A hidden driver of antibiotic resistance in citiesVehicle tyrewear may be doing more than just polluting urban environments. A new perspective published in the journal Biocontaminant suggests these tyre microplastics could be actively amplifying the spread of antibiotic resistance genes through urban areas. The researchers identified three main ways that tyre microplastics could increase the spread of antibiotic resistance. Second, tyre particles release a range of chemicals, including metals, antioxidants and other compounds, as they break down. Their surfaces, chemical additives and aging processes may work together to create conditions that favour the persistence and transfer of antibiotic resistance genes.’