Biological and behavioral responses of European honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies to perfluorooctane sulfonate exposure

Abstract

Bees provide pollination services to managed and wild ecosystems but are threatened globally due to multiple stressors, including exposure to contaminants. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a widely detected and persistent contaminant that accumulates and biomagnifies in food chains. In this exposure effect study, small whole colonies of Apis mellifera (1000 bees) were exposed to PFOS using a purpose‐built cage system over a 4‐week period. The PFOS exposure concentrations were provided to bees in sugar syrup at concentrations detected in the environment, ranging from 0 to 1.6 mg L−1. A range of biological and behavioral responses were monitored. Bee tissue, honey, and fecal matter were analyzed using isotope dilution combined with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry adapted for bee and honey matrix analysis. Bee mortality increased significantly with PFOS exposure at 0.8 mg L−1 or greater, and brood development ceased entirely at 0.02 mg L−1 or greater. Colony activity, temperament, hive maintenance, and defense were adversely affected in all PFOS exposure treatments compared with the control, even at the lowest PFOS exposure of 0.02 mg L−1. Perfluorooctane sulfonate was detected in bee tissue with a mean bioaccumulation factor of 0.3, and it was also identified in honey and in feces collected from the hive cages. These findings provide the first evidence that PFOS exposure adversely affects honey bee colonies and may transfer to honey. With PFOS contaminating thousands of sites worldwide, our study has implications for exposed bee populations under natural conditions, pollination services, the honey industry, and human health. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021;17:673–683. © 2021 SETAC

PFAS: forever chemicals—persistent, bioaccumulative and mobile. Reviewing the status and the need for their phase out and remediation of contaminated sites

“…At concentrations of 2-10 µg/L PFBS, PFOA and PFOS also have toxic effects on insect larvae such as chironomids or dragonflies [154,[160][161][162][163]. The reproductive capacity and the behavior of pollinator insects such as honey bees and bumble bees are also affected by PFOS: Honey bee broods are almost completely inhibited after 4 weeks exposure to 20 µg/L in sugar syrup [164]. Development of ground bumble bee drones is completely inhibited after 11 weeks exposure to 1000 µg/L in sugar water; an extreme accumulation to more than 2 µg/g bw was observed in bumble bees at 100 µg/L (BAF = 28) [165].…”

Can Bees Detect Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS)?

“…The few studies available confirm that PFOS is toxic to bees (Mommaerts et al, 2011;Sonter et al, 2021;Wilkins, 2001). Mortality occurs with oral exposure of individuals at ≥0.4 µg PFOS/bee (provided directly in 200 µL of 50% sugar syrup for 4 h; Wilkins, 2001) and with oral exposure of a colony at ≥0.8 mg L −1 (provided in 50% sugar syrup for 4 weeks; Sonter et al, 2021). Perfluorooctane sulfonate has been detected in bee tissue, and transfers to honey and feces when bees are exposed in the laboratory (Sonter et al, 2021).…”

“…Mortality occurs with oral exposure of individuals at ≥0.4 µg PFOS/bee (provided directly in 200 µL of 50% sugar syrup for 4 h; Wilkins, 2001) and with oral exposure of a colony at ≥0.8 mg L −1 (provided in 50% sugar syrup for 4 weeks; Sonter et al, 2021). Perfluorooctane sulfonate has been detected in bee tissue, and transfers to honey and feces when bees are exposed in the laboratory (Sonter et al, 2021). Evidence from samples collected in Europe also suggests transfer to honey from bee exposure in the field (European Food Safety Authority, 2012; Surma et al, 2016).…”

Trisiloxane Surfactants Negatively Affect Reproductive Behaviors and Enhance Viral Replication in Honey Bees

“…Negative consequences caused by environmental contaminants once thought harmless (including microplastics [Buteler et al, 2022; Chia et al, 2021], industrial byproducts such as perfluorooctane sulfonate [Sonter et al, 2021], and other chemicals [Mullin et al, 2016]) have garnered much attention in recent years, and researchers have noted disturbing trends in their persistence and effects on various organisms and ecosystems (Chia et al, 2021; Mesnage & Antoniou, 2018; Sonter et al, 2021). One such example of these effects are those of trisiloxane surfactant (TSS) adjuvants on honey bees (Chen et al, 2018; Ciarlo et al, 2012; Fine et al, 2017; Ricke et al, 2021; Walker et al, 2022).…”