Management practice for small hive beetle as a source of microplastic contamination in honey and honeybee colonies.

Microplastics (MP) have emerged as a widespread environmental contaminant affecting bee health. In this study we report on the impact of one of the cultural practices used to control the small hive beetle (SBH, Aethina tumida). Management of the beetle often includes the use of in-hive traps of different kinds, such as non-woven microfiber wipes.

Effects of microplastic ingestion on feeding activity in a widespread fish on the southwestern Atlantic coast: Ramnogaster arcuata (Clupeidae).

The presence of microplastics (MPs) in the fish gastrointestinal tract has been documented in several studies. However, it is unclear whether this ingestion is active or passive and whether it affects feeding activity in natural environments. In this study, three sites with different anthropogenic pressure were selected from the Bahia Blanca estuary, Argentina, and the small zooplanktivorous pelagic fish Ramnogaster arcuata was used to evaluate MP ingestion and its effect on specie's trophic activity.

Microplastic levels on sandy beaches: Are the effects of tourism and coastal recreation really important?

This study assessed the effect of tourism and other recreational activities on microplastic (MP) levels and their characteristics in the sand and surf zone of the seawater. Six sites were chosen belonging to three sandy beaches with similar geomorphologic and morphodynamic characteristics but with different tourism activities. On average, a concentration of 1133.

Lakes with or without urbanization along their coasts had similar level of microplastic contamination, but significant differences were seen between sampling methods.

The influence of sampling method on microplastic (MP) quantification and the impact of population density on the levels of MP contamination in surface waters from Patagonian lakes were investigated. Six lakes located in Northern Patagonia (Argentina) were studied using two different sampling protocols widely reported in the literature: water collected in glass bottles vs. water collected using a 50 μm mesh size net.

The Chubut River estuary as a source of microplastics and other anthropogenic particles into the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean.

This is the first report of anthropogenic particles (APs), including microplastics and synthetic, semi-synthetic and anthropogenically-altered natural fibers, in water and sediment of the Chubut River estuary. This river is the main source of freshwater in Chubut Province (Patagonia, Argentina), where wastes and pollutants are poured and finally end in the Atlantic Ocean. The average concentration in surface and bottom water samples was 5.

Anthropogenic microfibers are highly abundant at the Burdwood Bank seamount, a protected sub-Antarctic environment in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean.

Microplastics debris in the marine environment have been widely studied across the globe. Within these particles, the most abundant and prevalent type in the oceans are anthropogenic microfibers (MFs), although they have been historically overlooked mostly due to methodological constraints. MFs are currently considered omnipresent in natural environments, however, contrary to the Northern Hemisphere, data on their abundance and distribution in Southern Oceans ecosystems are still scarce, in particular for sub-Antarctic regions.

First evidence of microplastics in nine lakes across Patagonia (South America).

Microplastics (MPs) on lakes have been reported mainly from Europe, Asia, and North America. Then, this study aimed to address the quantification and identification of MPs in nine lakes from the Argentine Patagonian Region. Blue colored fibers were dominant, with a size range between 0.

A reversible tube-to-rod transition in a block copolymer micelle.

A remarkable morphology transition occurs with a change in temperature for a diblock copolymer [poly(ferrocenyldimethylsilane-b-dimethylsiloxane) (PFS40-b-PDMS480, PDI = 1.01)] in n-decane solution. This polymer, which forms nanotubes at 25 degrees C, rearranges to form short dense rods when the solution is heated to 50 degrees C.