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−1 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.

中文翻译：

---

喷漆衍生的微塑料和掺入物质作为新热带大黄蜂 Bombus atratus 的生态毒理学污染物


虽然熊蜂可能会接触到微塑料 （MP），但对它们的影响尚未得到很好的研究。因此，在这项研究中，我们评估了暴露于 50 mg 的 Bombus atratus 工人的中肠、Malpighian 小管和肝肾炎系统细胞上原始和光降解喷漆衍生的 MPs 的细胞毒性。L-1 MPs 持续 96 小时。组织学和组织化学分析显示，原始 MP 引起细微的细胞变化，而暴露于光降解的 MP 会导致显着的空泡化、核浓缩和 pyknosis。这些影响可能与光降解 MP 释放的潜在有毒元素 （PTE） 有关，如铜、锰和铁，这超过了巴西的 CONAMA 安全限值。光降解的 MP 还减轻了体重，破坏了体内平衡，并可能降低大黄蜂的健康状况。这些发现强调了研究环境现实性 MP 毒性的重要性，因为塑料成分和风化会显着影响其有害影响。