We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Nano- and micro-polystyrene plastics disturb gut microbiota and intestinal immune system in honeybee.
AI summary Read the abstract
Honeybees orally exposed to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics showed disrupted gut microbiota and impaired intestinal immune function, with nanoplastics causing greater effects than microplastics. Since honeybees are critical pollinators for food production, microplastic contamination in their environment could affect both bee health and agricultural systems.
Micro- (MPs) and nano-plastics (NPs) have become emerging pollutants in the environment. Their wide distribution and capacity as a vector of hazardous materials threaten various organisms. Honeybees have been used as bioindicators for pollutants as their gut microbiota offers advantages for addressing how it alters the host health and exploring the processes of environmental pollutants affecting gut community dynamics. In this study, the effects of plastic particles of different sizes on honeybees' health were investigated. Oral exposure to polystyrene (PS) particles with a diameter of 100 nm significantly decreased the whole-body weight and survival rate of honeybees and induced intestinal dysplasia. As the increase of the feeding time from Day 0 to Day 15, the MPs moved to and accumulated in the rectum, where most bee gut symbionts colonized. Scanning electron microscope observation showed that 100-nm PS particles adhered to the germination pore of pollen, while 1- and 10-μm PS particles were attached by gut bacteria. We found that 100-nm PS treatment decreased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in the guts. Correspondingly, PS treatment stimulated immune inhibitory genes and depressed genes related to detoxification and energy balance. Furthermore, 100-nm PS treated honeybees became more susceptible to the pathogenic Hafnia alvei, leading to a five-times higher mortality rate. These results indicated the adverse impacts of NPs on honeybees, which extends our knowledge regarding the emerging health risks of plastic debris, especially at the nanoscale.
More Papers Like This
Polystyrene microplastics reduce honeybee survival by disrupting gut microbiota and metabolism
AI summary Read the abstract
Honeybees exposed to polystyrene microplastics at environmentally realistic concentrations showed reduced survival rates, damaged gut walls, and disrupted gut bacteria and metabolism. The microplastics accumulated in the bees' guts, causing oxidative stress and shifting the microbial community toward harmful species. Since honeybees are essential pollinators for many food crops, microplastic threats to bee health could have indirect consequences for agriculture and human food security.
Association of specific gut microbiota with polyethylene microplastics caused gut dysbiosis and increased susceptibility to opportunistic pathogens in honeybees
AI summary Read the abstract
Honeybees fed polyethylene microplastics (the type used in food packaging) showed disrupted gut bacteria and became more vulnerable to disease-causing pathogens. The larger 100-micrometer particles caused the most harm, physically damaging the gut lining and displacing beneficial bacteria. This research demonstrates how microplastic contamination in the environment can weaken important pollinator species by compromising their gut health and immune defenses.
Gut microbiota protects honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) against polystyrene microplastics exposure risks
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that honey bees with intact gut microbiota were significantly more resilient to polystyrene microplastic exposure than bees with disrupted gut communities. The gut microbiota helped reduce oxidative stress and maintained immune function in bees exposed to microplastics. The study suggests that a healthy gut microbiome may serve as a natural defense mechanism against the harmful effects of microplastic ingestion in pollinators.
Co-exposure to polystyrene microplastics and glyphosate induces gut microbiota dysbiosis and cognitive impairment in honeybees
AI summary
Researchers found that combined exposure of honeybees to polystyrene microplastics and the herbicide glyphosate significantly increased mortality, damaged the midgut, disrupted gut microbiota, and impaired cognitive behavior—effects more severe than either pollutant alone—suggesting the gut-brain axis plays a key role in pollinator vulnerability to co-occurring environmental contaminants.
Laboratory larval exposure to mixed-size polystyrene micro/nanoplastics disrupts lipid metabolism and reshapes the hemolymph metabolome and gut microbiota of adult honeybee workers.
AI summary Read the abstract
Honeybee larvae fed tiny polystyrene plastic particles in lab tests showed reduced survival, disrupted fat and nutrient processing, and oxidative stress. These effects carried into adulthood, causing gut damage, altered blood chemistry, and changes in gut bacteria, even though only the larvae were exposed to the plastic.
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.