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Synergistic effects between microplastics and glyphosate on honey bee larvae
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This study found that honey bee larvae exposed to microplastics combined with the herbicide glyphosate experienced worse developmental problems, higher oxidative stress, and stronger immune responses than those exposed to either pollutant alone. The combined exposure disrupted key detoxification and antioxidant genes in the developing bees. While focused on bees, this research highlights how microplastics can amplify the harm from other environmental chemicals, a pattern that likely applies to other organisms including humans.
Microplastic (MPs) pollution has emerged as a global ecological concern, however, the impact of MPs exposure, particularly in conjunction with other pollutants such as glyphosate (GLY) on honey bee remains unknown. This study investigated the effects of exposure to different concentrations of MPs and their combination with GLY on honey bee larvae development, or during the larvae period, regulation of major detoxification, antioxidant and immune genes, and oxidative stress biomarkers. Results revealed that combined exposure to MPs and GLY decreased larvae survivorship and weight, while exposure to MPs alone showed no significant differences. Both MPs and GLY alone downregulated the defensin-1 gene, but only combined exposure with GLY downregulated the hymenoptaecin gene and increased catalase enzyme activity. The data suggest a synergistic effect of MPs and GLY, leading to immunosuppression and reduced larvae survival and weight. These findings highlight potential risks of two prevalent environmental pollutants on honey bee health.
More Papers Like This
Combined effects of microplastics and flupyradifurone on gut microbiota and oxidative status of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.)
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Researchers found that honeybees exposed to both polystyrene microplastics and the pesticide flupyradifurone suffered significantly worse health outcomes than when exposed to either substance alone, including reduced survival and disrupted gut bacteria. The combination depleted beneficial Lactobacillus bacteria in the bees' guts, and supplementing with these bacteria improved survival. While focused on bees, this study demonstrates how microplastics can amplify the toxicity of other environmental chemicals, a principle that likely applies across species.
Single and Synergistic Effects of Microplastics and Difenoconazole on Oxidative Stress, Transcriptome, and Microbiome Traits in Honey Bees
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Researchers exposed honey bees to microplastics and the fungicide difenoconazole, both alone and together, and found that the combination caused worse oxidative stress and gut microbiome disruption than either pollutant alone. This is concerning because bees encounter both pollutants in agricultural environments, and the combined exposure may weaken their health more than expected.
Unravelling the microplastic menace: different polymers work in synergy to increase bee vulnerability
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Researchers studied the effects of polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate) microplastics, both individually and combined, on honeybees. They found that the mixture of different microplastic polymers produced synergistic harmful effects that were worse than either polymer alone, including increased mortality and disrupted gut microbiota. The study highlights that real-world microplastic exposure, which typically involves mixtures of polymers, may pose greater risks to pollinators than single-polymer laboratory studies suggest.
Microplastic ingestion and co-exposure to Nosema ceranae and flupyradifurone reduce the survival of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.)
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Researchers studied the combined effects of microplastics, the insecticide flupyradifurone, and the gut parasite Nosema ceranae on honey bee health. They found that all treatments reduced bee survival compared to controls, with the three-way combination being the most harmful, and that microplastics and the pesticide increased parasite reproduction. The study suggests that microplastics may worsen the effects of other stressors on bee health, compounding existing threats to pollinators.
The combined toxicity of polystyrene microplastics and glyphosate on Daphnia magna: Physiological and behavioral responses.
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Tiny water fleas (Daphnia magna) were exposed to microplastics and the weedkiller glyphosate, alone and combined, for 96 hours in a lab test. Combined exposure harmed swimming, heart rate, gut tissue and stress related genes, with effects that were sometimes stronger and sometimes weaker than expected depending on what was measured.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.