Identification of Potential Pollutants in Road Marking Paints Using Multiple MS Techniques

Abstract

Road marking paints are a major source of road dust, which can pollute soil and aquatic ecosystems near roads. This study used multiple mass spectrometry techniques to identify potential pollutants in road marking paints. Volatile chemicals were analyzed using pyrolysis GC-MS, while the ethanol-extractable fraction of chemicals was analyzed using LC-MS and GC-MS. We found 28 unique chemicals in road marking paints, including plasticizers, UV stabilizers, monomers, and surfactants. Most of these chemicals were classified as non-toxic or weak irritants. However, some chemicals, such as dicyclohexyl phthalate, o-anisidine, m-anisidine, isophorone diisocyanate, and isobornyl acrylate, have significant hazardous properties, including carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, respiratory toxicity, and aquatic toxicity. The presence of these hazardous chemicals in road marking paints highlights their potential to contribute to the environmental impact of road marking paint pollution. This study emphasizes the importance of understanding the composition of road marking paints and their associated hazards to develop effective strategies for mitigating environmental contamination caused by road dust.