Bees and Microplastic Studies: A Systematic Review.

Abstract

Microplastic contamination is no longer confined exclusively to aquatic environments and their organisms. Over the past 20 years, microplastics have increasingly been recognized as a source of contamination in terrestrial ecosystems and the organisms that inhabit them. Some studies have reported that these contaminants can alter the intestinal microbiota of bees, which may also harm their immune system and, consequently, directly impact the health of these animals. These consequences can impair bees' ability to effectively carry out their foraging activities, potentially leading to the decline of the hive and negatively impacting the ecosystem services they provide through pollination. However, research linking microplastics to bees is still in its early stages. Therefore, this work conducted a systematic review, applying selection and exclusion criteria to studies published between 2000 and 2024 that mentioned bees or bee products in relation to microplastics. These publications were extracted from electronic databases (Google Scholar, Scielo, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science). With the keywords used, 920 works were found, of which 33 met the pre-established review criteria, produced between 2013 and 2024, most of them from Italy (six studies) and China (five studies). Among the 33 studies selected, twelve are bibliographic reviews, indicating the need for further primary studies related to the subject, since bees provide vital ecosystem services through pollination.