Papers

61,005 results
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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 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

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
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
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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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
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

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

Oxidative damage and decreased aerobic energy production due to ingestion of polyethylene microplastics by Chironomus riparius (Diptera) larvae

Researchers exposed Chironomus riparius larvae to three size classes of polyethylene microplastics and found that all sizes were ingested, causing oxidative damage and reduced aerobic energy production, with the smallest particles causing the greatest harm.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 102 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmentally relevant concentrations of polyethylene microplastics negatively impact the survival, growth and emergence of sediment-dwelling invertebrates

Researchers exposed sediment-dwelling invertebrates, including midges and worms, to environmentally realistic concentrations of polyethylene microplastics and found significant reductions in survival, growth, and emergence rates. The study provides evidence that even at concentrations currently found in freshwater sediments, microplastics can negatively affect benthic organisms that play key roles in ecosystem functioning.

2018 Environmental Pollution 317 citations
Article Tier 2

A multi-levels analysis to evaluate the toxicity of microplastics on aquatic insects: A case study with damselfly larvae (Ischnura elegans)

Researchers conducted a comprehensive study of how polystyrene microplastics affect damselfly larvae, a sensitive freshwater insect, examining effects from the whole organism down to the molecular level. Higher concentrations of microplastics impaired the larvae's movement, disrupted their gut bacteria, and caused oxidative stress in their tissues. Since aquatic insects are an important part of freshwater food webs, their sensitivity to microplastics signals broader risks to ecosystem health.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Accumulation of microplastics and anthropogenic fibers in natural populations of blood-sucking mosquitoes of the genus Aedes in the environs of Tomsk (Western Siberia, Russia)

Researchers monitored microplastic accumulation in blood-sucking mosquitoes of the genus Aedes across multiple habitats near Tomsk, Russia, over three years. They found microplastics present at all life stages, with quantities varying by habitat type and year. The study demonstrates that mosquitoes can serve as both bioaccumulators and vectors for microplastic transfer through food webs.

2025 Limnology and Freshwater Biology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Physiological Effects of Microplastic on Marine Organisms

This review examines the physiological effects of microplastics on marine organisms, covering how plastic particles—from fragmentation of larger debris or manufactured microbeads—are ingested, accumulate in tissues, and disrupt metabolic and immune functions. It concludes that the ever-increasing concentration of MPs in marine environments represents a growing threat to marine biodiversity and ultimately to human health through the food chain.

2025 Cuestiones de Fisioterapia
Article Tier 2

Environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics modulated the immune response and swimming activity, and impaired the development of marine medaka Oryzias melastigma larvae

Researchers found that environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics impaired immune responses, swimming behavior, and larval development in marine medaka fish, demonstrating that even low-level exposure poses ecological risks.

2022 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 30 citations
Article Tier 2

A Review of the Current Status of the Impact of Selected Microplastics on the Life-Cycle of Mosquitoes, Especially Vector Species

This review examines the current understanding of how selected microplastic types affect the liver, kidney, and reproductive system, summarizing animal and in vitro studies showing inflammation, oxidative stress, and endocrine disruption at these target organs. The authors identify the liver as the most studied organ and call for longer-duration, multi-generation studies to understand cumulative impacts.

2024 JOURNAL OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES 1 citations