Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

The Effect of Larval Exposure to Plastic Pollution on the Gut Microbiota of the Major Malaria Vector Anopheles arabiensis Patton (Diptera: Culicidae)

Researchers exposed larvae of the malaria-carrying mosquito Anopheles arabiensis to degraded plastic, plastic additives, and latex beads, then examined how these exposures changed the gut bacteria of adult mosquitoes. While overall bacterial diversity was minimally affected, each type of plastic stressor altered the specific composition of the gut microbial community. The findings are significant because gut bacteria influence mosquito immunity and insecticide resistance, meaning plastic pollution could indirectly affect malaria control efforts.

2025 Environmental Microbiology Reports 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Ontogenetic transfer of microplastics in natural populations of malaria mosquitoes in Western Siberia

Researchers studied how malaria-carrying mosquitoes in Western Siberia take up microplastics during their aquatic larval stage and carry them through metamorphosis into adulthood. Larvae accumulated millions of polystyrene particles within days, but the number dropped dramatically during each life stage transition, with only a few particles remaining in adult mosquitoes. The study confirms that flying insects can transfer waterborne microplastic pollution into terrestrial environments.

2024 Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Female mosquito-a potential vector for transporting plastic residues to humans

Researchers found that mosquito larvae accumulate microplastics from sewage environments and retain them through metamorphosis into adult females, suggesting that mosquitoes could serve as vectors for transporting plastic residues to humans through biting.

2022 Chemosphere 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics affect mosquito from aquatic to terrestrial lifestyles and are transferred to mammals through mosquito bites

In a striking finding, researchers showed that mosquitoes exposed to microplastics as larvae carried the particles throughout their entire life cycle, and when those adult mosquitoes bit mice, fluorescent microplastic signals were detected in the animals' blood and skin. The microplastics also reduced the effectiveness of insecticides against the mosquitoes and altered their gut bacteria. This study reveals a previously unknown pathway for microplastics to enter mammals, including potentially humans, through mosquito bites.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics on the menu; exploring interactions between two mosquitoes species and microplastics

Researchers exposed larvae of two mosquito species with contrasting feeding ecologies (Anopheles gambiae and Aedes albopictus) to varying concentrations, sizes, and densities of polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics, finding that ingestion risk was primarily determined by particle size rather than larval ecology, and that microplastics affected survival only in An. gambiae adults at the highest concentration, with no physical or chemical alteration of microplastics detected post-digestion.

2024 ORBi UMONS
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene microplastic ingestion on development, adult fitness, and reproductive success of Culex quinquefasciatus and Anopheles quadrimaculatus

Researchers fed polystyrene microplastics to Drosophila melanogaster and measured effects on larval development, adult fitness, and reproductive success across generations, finding that MP ingestion impaired multiple fitness traits and that some effects persisted into subsequent generations.

2025 Journal of the Florida Mosquito Control Association
Article Tier 2

Interactions between microplastics and Culex sp. larvae in wastewater

Researchers studied the interaction between microplastics and mosquito larvae in Egyptian wastewater treatment plants, finding that the larvae actively ingest plastic particles. They documented seasonal variation in microplastic abundance at the treatment facilities and showed that contaminated larvae could transfer plastics to adult mosquitoes. The study highlights an overlooked pathway by which microplastics in wastewater can spread into terrestrial ecosystems through flying insects.

2024 Water Environment Research 9 citations
Article Tier 2

A perspective on the impacts of microplastics on mosquito biology and their vectorial capacity

This perspective paper explored how microplastic pollution in aquatic environments could affect mosquito biology and their ability to transmit diseases. Researchers suggest that microplastics in the water where mosquito larvae develop could influence their growth, survival, and potentially their capacity to carry pathogens, representing an understudied intersection between plastic pollution and public health.

2024 Medical and Veterinary Entomology 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution differentially affects development of disease-vectoring Aedes and Culex mosquitoes

Researchers tested how polyethylene microplastics affect the development and survival of two disease-carrying mosquito species, Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus. They found that microplastic exposure had different effects on each species, with Culex showing increased development time while Aedes was relatively unaffected. The study suggests that microplastic pollution in aquatic habitats may alter mosquito population dynamics, with potential implications for disease transmission.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic ingestion perturbs the microbiome of Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti

Researchers exposed Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquito larvae to polystyrene microplastics and found that ingestion altered adult emergence rates, caused gut tissue damage, and disrupted the gut microbiome, demonstrating that microplastic contamination can impair mosquito development.

2023 Research Square (Research Square) 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics enhance Daphnia magna sensitivity to the pyrethroid insecticide deltamethrin: Effects on life history traits

Researchers tested whether polyethylene microplastics alter the toxicity of the pyrethroid insecticide deltamethrin to Daphnia magna and found that microplastic presence increased sensitivity to deltamethrin, reducing survival and reproductive output at concentrations that were not toxic without microplastics.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 100 citations
Article Tier 2

Tracking micro- and nanoplastics in Aedes albopictus: From ingestion to metabolic disruption

Researchers tracked the fate of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics in the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus from larval ingestion through adult development. They found that ingested particles crossed the gut barrier, persisted in tissues, and were retained through metamorphosis, while causing reduced body weight and significant metabolic disruptions. The study suggests that plastic pollution may affect mosquito biology through endocrine disruption and altered energy metabolism pathways.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Can microplastic contamination affect the wing morphology and wingbeat frequency of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes?

Researchers tested whether polyethylene microplastic exposure during larval development affects wing morphology and wingbeat frequency in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, a species relevant to disease transmission. They found that while larval survival was unaffected, female mosquitoes reared in microplastic-contaminated water had smaller wings, and male mosquitoes showed altered wingbeat frequency and wing morphology. The study suggests that microplastic pollution could have sex-specific effects on mosquito traits related to their capacity as disease vectors.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Ontogenetic Transfer of Microplastics in Bloodsucking Mosquitoes Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae) Is a Potential Pathway for Particle Distribution in the Environment

Researchers demonstrated that Aedes aegypti mosquitoes can transfer microplastics across life stages from larvae through pupae to flying adults, identifying bloodsucking mosquitoes as a potential pathway for distributing plastic particles through the environment.

2022 Water 33 citations
Article Tier 2

No Effect of Realistic Microplastic Exposure on Growth and Development of Wild-caught Culex (Diptera: Culicidae) Mosquitoes

Researchers exposed wild-caught Culex mosquito larvae to polystyrene microplastics at environmentally realistic concentrations. The study found no significant effects on body size, development time, or growth rate in either species tested, suggesting that microplastic levels typically found in nature may have minimal impact on these fitness-related traits in mosquitoes.

2023 Journal of Medical Entomology 16 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of nano– and microplastic ingestion on the survivorship and reproduction of Aedes aegypti (L.) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse)

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.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics alter toxicity of the insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis to chironomid larvae in different ways depending on particle size

Researchers tested the combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and the biological insecticide Bti on aquatic midge larvae over 21 days. They found that while microplastics alone did not affect larval survival, they modified the toxicity of Bti in a size-dependent manner, with smaller particles reducing Bti toxicity and larger particles increasing it. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in freshwater ecosystems could alter the effectiveness of biological pest control agents.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene microplastics are ingested and induce biochemical changes in Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) freshwater insect larvae

Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito larvae were exposed to polyethylene microplastics to evaluate toxicity and biochemical effects at early developmental stages. The larvae ingested the microplastics and showed altered biochemical markers, indicating that plastic particles can affect insect physiology during larval development.

2020 Ecotoxicology and Environmental contamination 48 citations
Review Tier 2

Ontogenetic transfer of microplastics and nanoplastics in mosquitoes: a scoping review of environmental and health implications

This scoping review examines the role of mosquitoes as vectors for transferring microplastics and nanoplastics from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems through their life cycle. Researchers found evidence that mosquito larvae ingest micro- and nanoplastics in water, which are retained through metamorphosis and carried into terrestrial environments by adult mosquitoes. The study highlights an underappreciated pathway for microplastic dispersal and raises questions about potential implications for organisms that feed on mosquitoes.

2025 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of nano- and microplastic ingestion on the survivorship and reproduction of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae)

Researchers studied how nano- and microplastic ingestion affects survivorship and reproduction in small invertebrates, finding that exposure reduced reproductive output and survival rates in a dose-dependent manner. The results suggest that even environmentally relevant concentrations of plastic particles can impair fitness in aquatic invertebrates.

2024 Environmental Entomology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Ubiquitous microplastics detection in mosquitoes from urban and rural regions signals a widespread pollution threat – the unseen carriers of hazard

Researchers conducted the first study quantifying microplastic prevalence in field-collected mosquito larvae across multiple species in Shiraz, Iran, using stratified sampling across six urban and rural locations. MPs were detected in larvae from multiple species and locations, suggesting mosquitoes may serve as vectors for microplastic transfer through food webs.

2025
Article Tier 2

Examining effects of ontogenic microplastic transference on Culex mosquito mortality and adult weight

Culex mosquito larvae were exposed to polystyrene microplastics at different sizes (2 μm and 15 μm) and concentrations, with MP ingestion confirmed and ontogenic transference of particles from aquatic larvae to terrestrial adults demonstrated, though no significant effects on adult mortality or weight were found. The study provides the first evidence of microplastic transfer across the aquatic-to-terrestrial life stage boundary in a common insect vector.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 108 citations
Article Tier 2

Review: Synergistic effects of environmental pollutants: Multiple stressors driving the transmission of vector-borne diseases and the vicious cycle

This review examines how multiple environmental pollutants, including microplastics, heavy metals, and pesticides, work together to increase the transmission risk of mosquito-borne diseases. Researchers found that microplastics can act as "Trojan horses" carrying other contaminants, amplifying ecological and health risks through combined exposure. The study proposes multi-level intervention strategies that integrate source control, process interruption, and ecological restoration.

2026 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology
Article Tier 2

Microplastic ingestion perturbs the microbiome of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) and Aedes aegypti

Researchers fed mosquito larvae polystyrene microplastics and found the particles accumulated in their guts, caused physical damage, and disrupted both bacterial and fungal communities in their bodies. The microplastics persisted through the larval stage into adulthood and were shed in adult feces. While focused on mosquitoes, this study shows how microplastics can alter the microbiome of insects that interact closely with humans and spread disease.

2023 Journal of Medical Entomology 32 citations