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Climate change, air pollution, and risks to honeybees – a review of biomonitoring data
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Not relevant to microplastics — this review synthesizes global biomonitoring data on honeybee exposure to metals, PAHs, pesticides, and other environmental pollutants, assessing bees as sentinel species for ecosystem health under climate change.
Environmental pollution and climate change are among the biggest concerns of the World population and represent an increased risk for the survival of very sensitive animals and insects, including honeybees. Environmental health monitoring can be performed through the biomonitorization of sentinel species. Honeybees are essential pollinators for global sustainale terrestrial productivity. This work presents a global overview of the available information on biomonitoring of honeybees and identifies the most characterized environmental pollutants. Available data clearly demonstrate the presence of different metals (arsenic, nickel, cadmium, lead, etc.), PAHs (naphthalene, acenapthylene, acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, pyrene, chrysene, benzo(a)pyrene, benz(a)anthracene, isomers of benzofluoranthene, indeno(1,2,3-c,d)pyrene, and dibenz(a,h)anthracene), polychlorinated biphenyls, plasticizers residues, and microplastics on bees. The contamination of bees was increased near urban areas and/or locals with increased anthropization. Biomonitoring of bees allows the identification of local sources of pollution in the surroundings of beehives (e.g., urban traffic emissions, forest fires, and agriculture). Additional studies are needed to better characterize the impact of environmental pollutants on bees.
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This review explores the use of honey bees as bioindicators of air pollution, including airborne microplastics, within a One Health framework. Researchers found that bees accumulate environmental contaminants during foraging, making them effective biological monitors for tracking air quality and pollution exposure relevant to both ecosystem and human health.
Honeybees as sentinels of microplastic pollution: a meta-analysis of accumulation, toxicity, and biomonitoring potential
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This review pulled together findings from 139 studies showing that honeybees pick up microplastics (tiny plastic bits) from the environment, and these particles can end up in honey, pollen, and wax, products many people eat or use daily. Because bees fly over large areas and are sensitive to pollution, scientists suggest using them as living "pollution detectors" to track microplastic contamination in the environment, which could also signal risks to the food we eat and the crops bees pollinate. More research is still needed to understand exactly how harmful long-term microplastic exposure is to bees and, by extension, to us.
Microplastic contamination in the agri-food chain: The case of honeybees and beehive products
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Researchers investigated microplastic and microfiber contamination in honeybees and beehive products across urban and rural areas in Southern Italy. They confirmed that microplastics were present on bee bodies and in honey, wax, and propolis regardless of the surrounding environment, indicating widespread airborne contamination. The findings suggest that honeybees and their products could serve as bioindicators for monitoring microplastic pollution in the atmosphere.
Microplastics comprehensive review: Impact on honey bee, occurrence in honey and health risk evaluation
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This systematic review examines how microplastics contaminate honey through bees and their environment. The findings show that bees accumulate microplastics from polluted air, water, and soil, which can then end up in honey — a product many people consume for its health benefits.
Are Honey Bees at Risk from Microplastics?
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This review examines whether microplastics pose a risk to honey bee populations, noting that microplastics have been detected in honey samples and on bees collected from both urban and rural areas. Researchers found that exposure to certain polymer types may affect bee health, and the study calls for more research to understand the risks of microplastic exposure to pollinators and the broader implications for ecosystem health.
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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.