Air Pollution

Here's how nature can be used to monitor pollution levels

Honey bees can be used to monitor pollution because they collect environmental samples as they forage for food.

Honey bees can be used to monitor pollution because they collect environmental samples as they forage for food. Image: Pexels/C.T. PHAT

Mark Patrick Taylor
Professor of Environmental Science and Human Health, Macquarie University
Kara Fry
Adjunct Fellow, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University
Max M Gillings
PhD Candidate, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University
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Foraging honey bees pick up contaminants in the environment.
Foraging honey bees pick up contaminants in the environment. Image: Mark Patrick Taylor
Bees effectively collect environmental samples and bring them back to hives across the city.
Bees effectively collect environmental samples and bring them back to hives across the city. Image: Mark Patrick Taylor

Bees likely ingest antimicrobial resistance genes from water bodies exposed to runoff from people’s properties or wastewater.
Bees likely ingest antimicrobial resistance genes from water bodies exposed to runoff from people’s properties or wastewater. Image: Shutterstock

Scanning electron microscope images of Nouméa bees. Where particles could be identified they were found to be not metallic.
Scanning electron microscope images of Nouméa bees. Where particles could be identified they were found to be not metallic.
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Bees returning to the hive are collected by EPA Victoria for analysis of the contaminants they picked up while foraging.
Bees returning to the hive are collected by EPA Victoria for analysis of the contaminants they picked up while foraging. Image: Ian Travers

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Related topics:
Air PollutionNature and BiodiversityClimate and NatureFuture of the Environment
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