Papers

61,005 results
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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

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

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

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

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

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

Effects of polystyrene microplastics on the composition of the microbiome and metabolism in larval zebrafish

Researchers exposed larval zebrafish to two sizes of polystyrene microplastics and found significant changes in gut microbiome composition and metabolic activity. The microplastics altered the abundance and diversity of gut bacteria and disrupted metabolic pathways important for development. The study suggests that early-life exposure to microplastics could have meaningful biological consequences by reshaping the gut environment of developing organisms.

2018 Chemosphere 472 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

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

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

Polystyrene microplastics induce gut microbiome and metabolome changes in Javanese medaka fish (Oryzias javanicus Bleeker, 1854)

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastic exposure altered gut microbiome composition and metabolic profiles in Javanese medaka fish, with effects on amino acid and lipid metabolism pathways suggesting microplastics can disrupt gut health in aquatic organisms.

2022 Toxicology Reports 33 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

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

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

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

Understanding the microplastic pollution impact on Chironomus sancticaroli larvae development and emergence

Researchers studied how PET microplastics affect the development and emergence of Chironomus midge larvae, an important freshwater insect. They found that microplastic exposure altered larval development and reduced successful adult emergence. The study suggests that microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems could disrupt the life cycles of aquatic insects, which are vital to food webs and ecosystem health.

2024 Knowledge and Management of Aquatic Ecosystems 4 citations
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

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

Polystyrene microplastics induce gut microbiota dysbiosis and hepatic lipid metabolism disorder in mice

Researchers fed mice two sizes of polystyrene microplastics for five weeks and observed significant disruption of gut bacteria and changes in liver fat metabolism. The microplastics decreased mucus production in the gut and shifted the balance of key bacterial populations at multiple taxonomic levels. The study suggests that microplastic ingestion can trigger gut microbiota imbalance in mammals, which may in turn affect metabolic health.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 966 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on the physiology of living organisms on the example of laboratory reared bloodsucking mosquitoes Aedes aegypti L.

Researchers studied the effects of three types of microplastics on mosquito larvae and found that even at low concentrations, the particles suppressed immune responses and reduced the activity of protective enzymes. While survival rates were unaffected, the microplastics disrupted key biological processes including defensive enzyme function and immune response. The study suggests that microplastic exposure could make disease-carrying mosquitoes more vulnerable to other stressors, with unpredictable ecological consequences.

2024 Physiological Entomology 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of frying on microplastics load in fish and implications on health

Researchers investigated the effects of polyethylene microplastics on gut microbiota composition in mice fed a high-fat diet, finding that microplastic exposure altered microbial diversity and increased gut permeability. Co-exposure with a high-fat diet amplified metabolic disruption.

2022 Food Frontiers 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics induce intestinal inflammation, oxidative stress, and disorders of metabolome and microbiome in zebrafish

Researchers exposed zebrafish to polystyrene microplastics for 21 days and found significant intestinal inflammation, oxidative stress, and disruption of both the gut microbiome and metabolic processes. The microplastics altered the balance of beneficial and harmful gut bacteria and changed the levels of key metabolites involved in energy and amino acid metabolism. The study provides detailed evidence that microplastic ingestion can cause widespread disruption to gut health in aquatic organisms.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 898 citations