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Polystyrene microplastics reduce honeybee survival by disrupting gut microbiota and metabolism

Han Li1, Wangjiang Feng1, Tong An1

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.

Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology
|April 24, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) harm honeybees by damaging their guts, altering gut microbes, and disrupting metabolism, leading to reduced survival. This highlights the urgent need to manage plastic pollution impacting vital pollinators.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Ecotoxicology
  • Apiculture

Background:

  • Microplastic (MP) pollution is a growing environmental concern.
  • The impact of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) on honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) health, particularly via the gut pathway and metabolic disruption, is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the physiological effects of PS-MPs on honeybee survival, gut structure, microbial communities, and metabolism.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms by which PS-MPs adversely influence honeybee health.

Main Methods:

  • Honeybees were exposed to PS-MPs (0.5 µm and 5 µm) at 25 mg/L and 50 mg/L for 21 days.
  • Evaluated honeybee survival, food consumption, gut histology, oxidative stress, gut microbial composition, and gut metabolomics.

Main Results:

  • PS-MPs significantly reduced honeybee survival and food intake.
  • Accumulated PS-MPs caused gut wall damage, increased oxidative stress, and altered gut microbiota (decreased Lactobacillus, increased Bartonella).
  • Metabolomics revealed disrupted metabolic pathways, including upregulated amino acid/carbohydrate metabolism and downregulated lipid metabolism.

Conclusions:

  • PS-MPs pose a significant threat to honeybee health by inducing gut damage, dysbiosis, and metabolic disturbances.
  • Findings underscore the critical need for strategies to mitigate environmental microplastic pollution affecting pollinators.
Keywords:
Gut microbiotaHoneybeeMetabolismMicroplastics

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