2026/08/04 by Bárbara dos Santos Conceição Lopes, María Auxiliadora Pantoja Ferreira, Maria Auxiliadora Pantoja Ferreira +7
Environmental Science · Materials Science · #Abundance (ecology) #Amazon rainforest #Amazonian #Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals #Microplastics #Microplastics and Plastic Pollution #Plastic pollution #Pollination #Pollinator #Stingless bee #biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties
paper · pdf · doi:10.1007/s11270-026-09801-w
crossref issued 2026/08/04 · crossref published 2026/08/04 · crossref published-online 2026/08/04 · openalex created_date 2026/08/04 · openalex publication_date 2026/08/04 · crossref created 2026/08/04 · crossref deposited 2026/08/04 · crossref indexed 2026/08/04 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05 · crossref published-print 2026/10/01
Abstract Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous anthropogenic pollutants that originate from diverse sources and pose a significant threat to both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Bees are considered active bio-samplers of air quality due to the accumulation of MPs on their bodies. In addition, the ingestion of MPs alters body mass, locomotion, and hemocyte counts without impairing survival. Native bees hold ecological and economic relevance by providing critical ecosystem services through the pollination of numerous wild and cultivated plant species. However, microplastic contamination in these bees remains poorly investigated. Here, we assessed the presence of microplastics in foragers from two Amazonian stingless bee species, comparing MPs abundance in rural and urban environments, and internally and externally worker bodies. We also characterized the morphology, color, and polymer type of MPs carried by foragers in both environments. Our results revealed the presence of MPs in Melipona flavolineata and Scaptotrigona aff. postica in both urban and rural environments, with higher incidence of MPs adhered to the external body surface. We found a predominance of fibers in blue, black, and red across both species and environment, and a lower abundance of blue fragments restricted to urban environment. Chemical analyses indicated a predominance of polyester (PL) spectra, followed by polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Our findings suggest the role of native stingless bees as biological indicators of environmental pollution by microplastics in the Amazon region. Beyond their value as bioindicators, these results raise conservation concerns, as the Amazon represents one of the largest remaining expanses of natural forest and harbors extraordinary native bees diversity and endemism. The potential transport of MPs into these natural areas poses risks to biodiversity, underscoring the need to integrate pollution monitoring into conservation strategies.