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Microplásticos en la abeja melífera (Apis mellifera) en colmenares urbanos de Lima metropolitana, Perú
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Researchers quantified microplastics on the external surfaces and internal tissues of honeybees (Apis mellifera) from three urban apiaries in Lima, Peru, finding microplastics at all sites with fibers predominating and external surfaces carrying more particles than internal ones, suggesting honeybees may serve as useful bioindicators of urban microplastic contamination.
Introducción. Los microplásticos (MPs) son actualmente un problema emergente debido a su lenta degradación y su amplia distribución en el suelo y la atmósfera, contribuyendo a una amenaza ambiental. La abeja melífera (Apis mellifera) sirve como un polinizador crucial y bioindicador ambiental, desempeñando un papel esencial en la agrobiodiversidad. Objetivo . Este estudio evaluó la presencia de MPs en abejas obreras de colmenas urbanas en Lima Metropolitana, Perú. Materiales y métodos. Se recolectaron muestras de abejas melíferas de tres apiarios urbanos en los distritos de Puente Piedra (norte), La Molina (centro) y Pachacamac (sur) entre octubre y diciembre de 2023. Los MPs se cuantificaron en partículas por 90 abejas, considerando superficies externas e internas, y se clasificaron por forma, color y tamaño. Resultados y discusiones. Se identificó la presencia de microplásticos (MPs) en Apis mellifera de los tres apiarios evaluados. Se observaron cantidades similares de MPs en los apiarios ubicados en Pachacamac (41 partículas externas y 10 internas) y La Molina (38 partículas externas y 12 internas), encontrándose cantidades menores en Puente Piedra (19 partículas externas y 15 internas). Las superficies externas de A. mellifera presentaron mayor cantidad de MPs que las partes internas. Se encontraron diferencias significativas en la distribución de MPs filamentosos en los apiarios. Las MPs filamentosas fueron predominantes, con colores que incluyeron azul, negro, rojo y blanco, y tamaños que variaron de 40 a 4400 µm. Conclusiones. Los hallazgos y datos sugieren que las abejas obreras Apis mellifera podrían servir como potenciales bioindicadores de contaminación por microplásticos en apiarios urbanos.
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