We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Linking micropollutant gradients and multigenerational microplastic exposure to insecticide tolerance in field populations of Anopheles gambiae s.l
AI summary Read the abstract
Mosquitoes living in polluted urban water with microplastics and chemicals are becoming resistant to insecticides used to control malaria. This matters because if mosquitoes survive the pesticides we use against them, malaria spread becomes harder to prevent, especially in developing countries.
Urban freshwater systems increasingly serve as breeding habitats for Anopheles gambiae ; however , the effects of prolonged larval exposure to complex waterborne pollutants remain insufficiently characterised. Therefore, larvae were collected from two mosquito breeding sites with pronounced spatial differences in baseline concentrations of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Hg, As), pesticides (organochlorines/organophosphates), inorganic nutrients (NO₃ − , NO₂ − , NH₄ + , PO₄ 3− ), and microplastics (MPs). Principal Component Analysis demonstrated a pronounced difference in the overall pollutant profiles of the two breeding sites, with substantially greater contamination at the downstream site. The influence of repeated exposure to MPs and the insecticide deltamethrin (either on its own or with MPs) on field populations of larvae was quantified in laboratory experiments. Larval survival and development were recorded over six generations, and insecticide tolerance of adult mosquitoes derived from these larvae quantified by WHO resistance bioassay tests. Initially, MP exposure reduced larval survival and delayed development; however, after several generations, larvae exhibited increased survival, accelerated development, and enhanced adult tolerance to deltamethrin. These responses were more pronounced in mosquitoes originating from the more polluted site, suggesting potential pre-existing environmental conditioning, although differences in sibling-species composition between sites cannot be excluded as a contributing factor. Exposure to combined MPs and insecticide resulted in higher survival and shorter development times compared to insecticide exposure alone. Collectively, these findings provide evidence that repeated MP exposure, in conjunction with environmental pollution, can progressively increase phenotypic insecticide tolerance in An. gambiae . Polluted urban breeding habitats may therefore contribute to reduced insecticide susceptibility, emphasizing the need to incorporate environmental pollution considerations into vector-control and insecticide-susceptibility management strategies.
More Papers Like This
Insecticide tolerance of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae following larval exposure to microplastics and insecticide
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed malaria-carrying mosquito larvae to microplastics over six generations and found that the mosquitoes developed increased tolerance to insecticides. Larvae raised in microplastic-contaminated water showed higher survival rates over successive generations, and adult mosquitoes from these populations were harder to knock down with standard insecticides. The study raises concerns that microplastic pollution could undermine mosquito control efforts and complicate the fight against malaria.
Microplastics are getting into mosquitoes and contaminating new food chains
AI summary Read the abstract
Mosquito larvae ingest microplastics in aquatic environments and carry them into adult mosquitoes, which are then eaten by birds and other terrestrial animals, creating a novel pathway for microplastics to enter non-marine food chains. This aquatic-to-terrestrial transfer mechanism extends the reach of microplastic contamination far beyond oceans and waterways into land-based ecosystems and potentially human food sources.
Ubiquitous microplastic detection in mosquitoes from urban and rural regions signals a widespread pollution threat—the unseen carriers of health hazard
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers detected microplastics in all 721 mosquito larvae sampled across six sites in Shiraz, Iran — spanning five Culex species — with polyethylene as the dominant polymer, raising concerns that mosquitoes may serve as overlooked vectors for microplastic transfer through urban and rural food webs.
Female mosquito-a potential vector for transporting plastic residues to humans
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that mosquito larvae accumulate microplastics from sewage environments and retain them through metamorphosis into adult females, suggesting that mosquitoes could serve as vectors for transporting plastic residues to humans through biting.
Ontogenetic transfer of microplastics in natural populations of malaria mosquitoes in Western Siberia
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied how malaria-carrying mosquitoes in Western Siberia take up microplastics during their aquatic larval stage and carry them through metamorphosis into adulthood. Larvae accumulated millions of polystyrene particles within days, but the number dropped dramatically during each life stage transition, with only a few particles remaining in adult mosquitoes. The study confirms that flying insects can transfer waterborne microplastic pollution into terrestrial environments.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.