While bumblebees may be exposed to microplastics (MPs), the effects on them are not well studied. Therefore, in this research, we assessed the cytotoxicity of pristine and photodegraded spray paint-derived MPs on the midgut, Malpighian tubules, and hepato-nephrocitic system cells of Bombus atratus workers exposed to 50 mg.L MPs for 96 hours. Histological and histochemical analyses revealed that pristine MPs caused subtle cellular changes, while the exposure to photodegraded MPs led to significant vacuolization, nuclear condensation, and pyknosis. These effects are possibly linked to the release of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) like Copper, Manganese, and Iron from photodegraded MPs, which exceeded Brazil's CONAMA safety limits. Photodegraded MPs also reduced body weight, disrupting homeostasis and potentially decreasing bumblebee's fitness. These findings highlight the importance of studying the toxicity of environmentally realistic MPs, as plastic composition and weathering significantly influence their harmful effects.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.etap.2024.104586 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
The underestimated environmental risk of tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate photodegradation in aqueous environment induced by polystyrene microplastics.
Water Res
December 2024
State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Agro-product Safety and Nutrition, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, PR China. Electronic address:
Tris(2-choroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) is commonly utilized as a flame retardant and plasticizer, which inevitably coexists with polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) in aquatic environments. In this work, the promoting effect of pristine and aged PS-MPs on the photodegradation of TCEP was observed, and the reaction mechanisms and environmental risks of PS-MPs enhancing TCEP photodegradation were clearly revealed. The aged PS-MPs presenting more significant enhancement was attributed to more generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicroplastics in aquatic systems: A comprehensive review of its distribution, environmental interactions, and health risks.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int
December 2024
Department of Environmental Science, University of Latvia, Jeglavas Street 1, Riga, LV-1004, Latvia.
Microplastics (MPs) have become a critical pollutant, accumulating in aquatic ecosystems and posing significant environmental and human health risks. Approximately 5.25 trillion plastic particles float in global oceans, releasing up to 23,600 metric tonnes of dissolved organic carbon annually, which disrupts microbial dynamics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImpact of UV-B Photoaging on Chlorpyrifos Adsorption by PET Microplastics: Insights from Experimental and DFT Analysis.
ACS Omega
November 2024
Department of Chemistry and Biology, Federal University of Technology - Paraná, Deputado Heitor de Alencar Furtado St., Five Thousand Ecoville, Curitiba, PR 81280-340, Brazil.
Article Synopsis
- Microplastics (MPs) in the environment are a major concern due to their negative effects on aquatic ecosystems and human health, with factors like aging and photodegradation altering their properties.
- Researchers studied how aging impacts PET microplastics (<100 μm) using accelerated photoaging in a UV-B chamber and various characterization techniques.
- Results indicated that aged MPs have increased adsorption capacity for the pesticide chlorpyrifos, suggesting they could transport harmful pollutants in aquatic environments more effectively than pristine microplastics.
Photochemistry of microplastics-derived dissolved organic matter: Reactive species generation and organic pollutant degradation.
Water Res
February 2025
Institute of Environmental Research at the Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China.
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) originating from microplastics (MPs-DOM) is increasingly recognized as a substantial component of aquatic DOM. The photochemistry of MPs-DOM, essential for understanding its environmental fate and impacts, remains largely unexplored. This study investigates the photochemical behaviors of MPs-DOM derived from two common plastics: polystyrene (PS) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which represent aromatic and aliphatic plastics, respectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSpray paint-derived microplastics and incorporated substances as ecotoxicological contaminants in the neotropical bumblebee Bombus atratus.
Environ Toxicol Pharmacol
December 2024
Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Department of Biology (DBio-So), Laboratory of Structural and Functional Biology (LABEF), Brazil; Post-graduate Program in Biotechnology and Environmental Monitoring (PPGBMA), Center for Science and Technology for Sustainability (CCTS), UFSCar, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil.
While bumblebees may be exposed to microplastics (MPs), the effects on them are not well studied. Therefore, in this research, we assessed the cytotoxicity of pristine and photodegraded spray paint-derived MPs on the midgut, Malpighian tubules, and hepato-nephrocitic system cells of Bombus atratus workers exposed to 50 mg.L MPs for 96 hours.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!