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The effects of nano– and microplastic ingestion on the survivorship and reproduction of Aedes aegypti (L.) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse)
Summary
This study investigated whether ingesting micro- and nanoplastics affects the survival and reproduction of two disease-carrying mosquito species, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Nanoplastics at the smallest tested size (0.03 µm) reduced pupal survival and egg production in Ae. aegypti, while larger microplastics had limited effects on survivorship. The results raise concerns that widespread microplastic and nanoplastic contamination in aquatic breeding habitats could affect mosquito population dynamics, with potential implications for vector-borne disease transmission.
Abstract Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) are pervasive environmental pollutants that raise concerns due to their potential impact on organisms across different trophic levels. While the effects of MPs on aquatic organisms have been extensively studied, their impacts on terrestrial organisms, mainly insects, still need to be explored. This study investigates the effects of MP and NP ingestion on the survivorship and reproduction of two medically important mosquito species, Aedes aegypti (L.), and Ae. albopictus (Skuse). Larval and pupal survivorship were not significantly affected by particle size or concentration, but there was a reduction of Ae. aegypti pupal survivorship associated with the ingestion of 0.03 µm NPs. Results also suggest that ingesting 0.03 µm NPs reduced egg production in both mosquito species. However, there was little impact of 0.03 NP and 1.0 µm MP ingestion on adult survivorship and longevity. To further investigate the effects of MP ingestion on mosquito fitness, we also examined the effects of lab generated MPs of varying shape, size, and plastic polymer type on Ae. aegypti immature and adult survivorship. The data suggests that the polymer type and shape did not impact Ae. aegypti immature or adult survivorship. These findings highlight the potential consequences and the need to investigate further the ecological and potential public health implications of MP and NP ingestion by mosquitoes.