Researchers in the United States have investigated the air pollution created when brake pads wear down and tiny dust particles are released during braking. The findings indicate that, in certain conditions, these brake wear aerosols could pose greater risks to human health than the exhaust from traditional internal combustion engines. The study appears in a prominent scientific journal, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) family of publications.
One researcher noted that the toxicity and health effects of brake wear particles are not yet well understood. Yet initial results from the lab point to the possibility of oxidative stress caused by these aerosols, underscoring the need for more research into how brake dust interacts with the respiratory system and other bodily tissues.
The team discovered that the share of charged particles emitted is influenced by the composition of the brake pad material. Because these particles carry an electrical charge, they can be more readily captured by air filtration systems designed to remove charged pollutants from indoor and outdoor air.
A leading scientist explained that charged particles can be trapped before they have a chance to impact health. An electrostatic precipitator, a device that uses an electric field to pull charged particles out of the air, can substantially reduce exposure when installed in appropriate settings.
As electric vehicles become more common, researchers caution that brake dust issues may intensify. Heavier EVs, especially those with larger battery packs, exert greater braking loads, which can generate more particulate matter from brakes than lighter gasoline or diesel vehicles under similar driving conditions.
In a broader comparison of indoor versus outdoor emissions, some indoor sources can be substantially more harmful per unit of energy than road traffic, highlighting the need for comprehensive air quality strategies that address both environments and vehicle technologies.