Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Ingestion and egestion dynamics of micro- and nanoplastics in black soldier fly larvae

Researchers investigated the ingestion and egestion dynamics of micro- and nanoplastics in black soldier fly larvae, examining how these insects process plastic particles and their potential role in plastic breakdown.

2024 SPIRE - Sciences Po Institutional REpository
Article Tier 2

Exposure of black soldier fly larvae to microplastics of various sizes and shapes: Ingestion and egestion dynamics and kinetics

Researchers studied how black soldier fly larvae, used to convert food waste into animal feed, interact with microplastics of different sizes and shapes. The larvae ingested microplastics along with their food but could not fully break them down, passing most of them through in their waste. This raises food safety concerns because if microplastics persist in the larvae, they could transfer up the food chain when the larvae are used as feed for livestock or fish.

2025 Waste Management 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Study of the factors modulating the bioaccumulation of microplastics in black soldier fly larvae: Focus on imaging approaches

Researchers studied the factors modulating bioaccumulation of microplastics in black soldier fly larvae, focusing on imaging approaches to characterise how particle properties and larval biology influence uptake and retention.

2025 SPIRE - Sciences Po Institutional REpository
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of microplastics in edible aquatic insect Pantala sp. (Odonata: Libellulidae) from rice fields

Researchers detected microplastics in edible dragonfly larvae collected from rice fields, finding an average of 1.34 particles per individual with fragments being the most common type, raising concerns about microplastic transfer through insect-based food chains.

2022 PeerJ 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution of Microplastic in Egypt Wastewater Using Aquatic Insects as Bioindicators

Researchers used aquatic insect larvae as bioindicators to assess microplastic distribution in Egyptian wastewater systems influenced by industrial and human activity. Insects from high-pollution sites accumulated significantly more microplastics, confirming their utility as cost-effective biological indicators for tracking microplastic contamination in freshwater systems.

2024
Article Tier 2

Ingestion and excretion dynamics of microplastics by black soldier fly larvae and correlation with mouth opening size

Researchers examined how black soldier fly larvae ingest and excrete microplastics, finding that particle ingestion and excretion dynamics correlate with mouth opening size, raising food safety concerns for larvae used as animal feed.

2023 Scientific Reports 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Freshwater insects of different feeding guilds ingest microplastics in two Gulf of Guinea tributaries in Nigeria

Scientists collected freshwater insects from two Nigerian tributaries of the Gulf of Guinea and found microplastics ingested across different feeding guilds, providing rare baseline data on microplastic contamination of African freshwater ecosystems.

2020 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 111 citations
Article Tier 2

Similarity of Microplastic Characteristics between Amphibian Larvae and Their Aquatic Environment

Researchers compared microplastic characteristics in amphibian larvae with those in their surrounding aquatic environment, finding similarities in size distribution and polymer types that confirm direct ingestion from water, providing a new bioindicator approach for freshwater microplastic monitoring.

2024 Animals 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and physical characterization of microplastics in mangrove-dwelling Fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) of entotourism importance

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in mangrove-dwelling fireflies in Malaysia, finding microplastics in 50% of larvae and 14.8% of adults, representing one of the first studies of microplastic occurrence in this ecologically and culturally important insect group.

2025 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science
Article Tier 2

Microplastics of different characteristics are incorporated into the larval cases of the freshwater caddisfly Lepidostoma basale

Researchers found that the freshwater caddisfly larva Lepidostoma basale actively incorporated microplastics of various sizes, shapes, and polymer types into its larval case alongside natural materials, representing a novel pathway of microplastic interaction beyond dietary ingestion in aquatic insects.

2019 Aquatic Biology 74 citations
Article Tier 2

Preliminary indoor evidences of microplastic effects on freshwater benthic macroinvertebrates

Researchers exposed caddisfly and mayfly larvae to various microplastic polymers in laboratory experiments and found that caddisflies incorporated microplastics into their rebuilt cases and mayflies preferentially burrowed in microplastic substrates over natural ones. The study suggests that freshwater macroinvertebrates may not perceive microplastics as a direct threat, raising concerns about chronic exposure effects in heavily contaminated waterways.

2021 Scientific Reports 56 citations
Article Tier 2

The influence of microplastics on trophic interaction strengths and oviposition preferences of dipterans

Microplastic pollution in freshwater environments was found to alter predator-prey interactions and oviposition site preferences in aquatic dipteran insects, with implications for food web structure. The study highlights that microplastics can have indirect ecological effects by interfering with animal behavior and species interactions beyond direct toxicity.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 64 citations
Article Tier 2

Glitter ingestion by bromeliad-dwelling macroinvertebrates: implications for freshwater microplastic contamination

Researchers exposed macroinvertebrates living in bromeliad leaf reservoirs to glitter particles as a microplastic proxy, finding ingestion occurred across multiple taxa and that glitter persisted in the gut and environment longer than natural food particles.

2025 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Disentangling the influence of microplastics and their chemical additives on a model detritivore system

Researchers disentangled the physical and chemical effects of microplastics on freshwater detritivores, finding that chemical additives leaching from plastics contributed more to negative impacts on organisms than the polymer particles themselves.

2022 Environmental Pollution 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Using aquatic insects as indicators of microplastic pollution in rice field ecosystems

Researchers used aquatic insect communities as bioindicators of microplastic pollution in rice field ecosystems, comparing insect diversity and abundance across fields with different levels of plastic contamination. Insect assemblages responded sensitively to microplastic loads, demonstrating their potential as low-cost monitoring tools.

2024 Ecologica Montenegrina 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastic accumulation in aquatic insects of different feeding guilds collected from wastewater in Sohag Governorate, Egypt

Microplastic accumulation in four freshwater insect families from an Egyptian wastewater basin found that collector-gatherers (Chironomidae and Hydrophilidae) had the highest microplastic loads and bioaccumulation factors, with polyester fibres dominant in all taxa studied.

2023 Marine and Freshwater Research 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Variation in microplastic characteristics among amphibian larvae: a comparative study across different species and the influence of human activity

Scientists examined microplastics inside amphibian larvae from 10 species and found plastic particles in all of them, with blue fibers being the most common type. Larger larvae tended to contain longer plastic fragments, and there was a relationship between human activity levels near habitats and the characteristics of the plastics found. This study shows that microplastic contamination has penetrated freshwater food webs, affecting animals during their most vulnerable developmental stages.

2024 Scientific Reports 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Review of mayflies (Insecta Ephemeroptera) as a bioindicator of heavy metals and microplastics in freshwater

This review examines how mayflies can serve as living indicators of heavy metal and microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems. Changes in mayfly populations, behavior, and body chemistry reflect contamination levels in rivers and streams. Since microplastics can carry heavy metals into waterways and up the food chain, monitoring these sensitive insects helps scientists track pollution that could ultimately affect human drinking water and food sources.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the diet of Hermetia illucens: Implications for development and midgut bacterial and fungal microbiota

Researchers fed black soldier fly larvae diets containing PVC microplastics at various concentrations and found the insects could tolerate even high levels (20% of diet) without significant increases in death rates. The larvae ingested and reduced the size of the plastic particles, and while their overall gut microbial diversity remained stable, certain bacterial and fungal populations shifted. This suggests black soldier flies could potentially help process plastic waste, though the safety of using these insects as animal feed after plastic exposure needs further study.

2024 Waste Management 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of anthropogenic activities on microplastics in deposit-feeders (Diptera: Chironomidae) in an urban river of Taiwan

Researchers quantified microplastic abundance and types in midge larvae (Chironomidae) from an urban river and found that multiple anthropogenic activities including industrial discharge, agriculture, and residential runoff were associated with elevated microplastic levels in these freshwater deposit-feeders.

2021 Scientific Reports 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and characterization of microplastic content in the digestive system of riverine fishes

Researchers found microplastics in 93.8% of riverine fish examined, with polystyrene, polyethylene, and nylon being the most common polymer types concentrated near urban and industrial areas, and small particles (0.025-1 mm) predominating across species.

2021 Journal of Environmental Management 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in freshwater ecosystems: what we know and what we need to know

This review examines the state of knowledge on microplastic contamination in freshwater ecosystems, which have received far less scientific attention than marine environments despite being major pathways for plastic transport. Researchers found that freshwater microplastic concentrations can be extremely high near urban areas and that organisms from insects to fish readily ingest these particles. The study identifies key research gaps including the need for standardized detection methods and better understanding of how microplastics move through and affect freshwater food webs.

2014 Environmental Sciences Europe 1468 citations
Article Tier 2

Caddisfly Larvae are a Driver of Plastic Litter Breakdown and Microplastic Formation in Freshwater Environments

Researchers found that freshwater caddisfly larvae actively incorporate polylactic acid plastic film into their protective cases and rapidly fragment it into hundreds of microplastic particles, representing a previously unrecognized biological mechanism of microplastic formation in freshwater ecosystems.

2022 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of the size and shape of microplastics on their ingestion and excretion by BSF larvae during waste bioconversion

Researchers investigated how the size and shape of microplastics affect their ingestion and excretion rates by black soldier fly (BSF) larvae during organic waste bioconversion, examining the implications for microplastic fate in biological waste treatment systems.

2024 SPIRE - Sciences Po Institutional REpository