Abstract
Seasonal biomass burning in Southeast Asia generates high concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅), which can deposit into small aquatic habitats used by mosquito larvae. This study assessed the effects of PM₂.₅-contaminated water on key life-history traits of Aedes aegypti, comparing a pyrethroid-susceptible strain (PMD), a pyrethroid-resistant strain (PMD-R), and a newly established field-collected population (LML). PM₂.₅ samples collected in Chiang Mai, Thailand, during the 2023 haze period were extracted to prepare aqueous solutions at concentrations of 12.5–150 mg/L PM₂.₅. Larval bioassays revealed significant reductions in the percentage of larval survival to pupation and adult emergence at PM₂.₅ concentrations ≥ 100 mg/L across all three mosquito strains, with an earlier onset (75 mg/L) for survival to pupation in PMD-R. Increasing PM₂.₅ concentrations also prolonged developmental time and reduced adult wing length. However, no consistent significant differences among strains were detected in larval survival to pupation, adult emergence, or adult emergence time; a significant between-strain difference in pupation time was detected only at the highest PM₂.₅ concentration (150 mg/L), while wing length differed consistently among strains regardless of PM₂.₅ exposure. These findings demonstrate that PM₂.₅ adversely affected mosquito development across all three strains, while insecticide-resistance status alone did not explain differences in susceptibility under the experimental conditions. The results highlight the importance of evaluating environmentally relevant PM₂.₅ exposure in mosquito breeding habitats and its potential implications for mosquito ecology and vector control. Anthropogenic biomass burning, exacerbated by climate-change-related drought and prolonged dry seasons, may intensify the impacts of pollution, potentially altering mosquito fitness, resistance patterns, and disease transmission dynamics.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Ms. Pavidarin Kraisitnitikul and Ms. Natthanit Kantarawilawan for their guidance and suggestions regarding figure design, which significantly enhanced the clarity and visual presentation of this work.
Funding
This work was partially supported by Chiang Mai University. The first author of this publication is a Ph.D. student in the Environmental Science Program, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, supported by funding from Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna (RMUTL).
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This study involved laboratory-reared Aedes aegypti, an invertebrate arthropod. No human participants, human biological materials, or vertebrate animals were used.
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Srithiang, K., Saingamsook, J., Sareein, N. et al. Effects of aqueous PM2.5 extract on developmental traits of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-68125-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-68125-1
Keywords
- PM₂.₅
- Air pollution
- Climate change
- Insecticide resistance
Aedes aegypti
- Mosquito fitness
Source: Ecology - nature.com
