New research indicates that microplastics consumed by mosquitoes can easily harm birds and bats and could even contaminate human food.(Photo: nechaev-kon, Getty Images / iStockphoto)

According to a new study, young mosquitoes that eat even small pieces of plastic could contaminate other insects and mammals.

Authors of an article published in the journal The Royal Society The biology letters on Wednesday found that when a mosquito larva eats microplastic, this plastic can remain in the insect's body at adulthood. Thus, the microplastic could then be transferred to anything that could eat that mosquito, including the birds.

UK researchers have conducted their study in a laboratory, but they say it's no exaggeration to think that plastic could get into the food chain in this way.

"The implication is that you can have plastics at the bottom of the pond that now rise up in the air and are eaten by spiders and bats and animals that would not normally have access to this plastic," writes Amanda Callaghan at the University of England. from Reading told the Independent.

The microplastics used in the study were small latex beads and the authors noted that the small beads were more easily transferred than the large adult mosquito balls.

More: This bottled water that you paid $ 3 may contain tiny plastic particles: Study

"Our study was a proof of concept in the laboratory," Callaghan told USA TODAY. "One of the next steps will be to sample the lakes with plastics and mosquitoes to measure that."

Microplastic is common in watercourses around the world. Even Arctic ice is strangled by a record amount of pollutant.

In order to reduce microplastics, some countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, have banned microbeads in toothpastes, facial scrubs and shower gels.

More: Even a single piece of plastic can kill a sea turtle, according to a study

More: 6 things you can do to stop plastic pollution today

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