Changes in airborne pollen concentrations in Delhi,India

In order to find the qualitative and quantitative changes in airborne pollen concentrations in Delhi metropolis area an aerobiological survey was undertaken from September 1990 to August 1997. Air samples were collected daily using a Rotorod Aeroallergen Sampler at 10?m above the ground level. Ninety-four pollen types were recorded and the major contributors include Morus, Cannabis, Chenopod/Amaranth, Prosopis, Artemisia, and Eucalyptus. Ten pollen types contributed 90% of the total pollen load. Two major pollen seasons were recorded each year (February–April and September–November), although pollen grains in low frequency were recorded throughout the whole year. A significant reduction in pollen concentration was observed in subsequent years. The number of Morus, Cannabis, Prosopis, and Artemisia pollen decreased considerably while the number of Ricinus communis pollen did not show any considerable change during the study period. It is suggested that the reduction in pollen numbers from 1990 to 1997 in Delhi is due to massive clearing of vegetation for developmental activities of the city.     

Airborne pollen grains in Nsukka,Nigeria

A study of the airborne pollen grains in Nsukka, Nigeria, has been carried out at two different sampling heights (1.8?m and 15?m) from February 1993 to January 1994. Twenty‐six plant families (40 genera) were identified at the lower sampling height, whilst thirty‐eight families (58 genera) were identified at the height of 15?m. A total of nine and eighteen fern spore types were observed at 1.80?m and 15?m, respectively. The quantitative results indicate that the number of pollen observed at 15?m sampling height was statistically different (p<0.05) from that observed at the height of 1.80?m. The analysis of airborne pollen grains indicates three different periods: (1) dry season, (2) rainy season, and (3) late rainy season to early dry season/Harmattan. The highest pollen abundance was recorded during the late rainy season – early dry season/Harmattan followed by that of the dry season. The predominant pollen grains and fern spores trapped at both heights include Poaceae, Casuarina equisetifolia, Milicia excelsa, Elaeis guineensis, Celtis integrifolia, Alchornea cordifolia, Amaranthaceae/Chenopodiaceae, Combretaceae/Melastomataceae, Nephrolepis biserrata, Thelypteris totta, and Dryopteris spp.     

A 3-year airborne pollen and fungal spores record in San Carlos de Bariloche, Patagonia, Argentina

Airborne pollen in San Carlos de Bariloche was sampled from September to March 2001–2004 with a Hirst-type volumetric spore trap placed at a height of 15 m in a city extending from the humid forests, through the mesic forests, to the steppe. The total amount of pollen recorded varied widely from year to year. The pollen index was 4,395 in the sampling period 2001/2002; 9,055 in 2002/2003 and 2,756 in 2003/2004. The main pollen period extended from October to January. In October, pollen concentration was the highest. Sixty-six pollen types were identified. Cupressaceae and Nothofagus were the major contributors. Betula, Prunus, Pinus and Populus, the most abundant ornamental taxa in the city, also contributed to the pollen record. Pollen of Maytenus and Lomatia was representative of the mesic forest, while pollen in the lower layers of the humid forest was present in trace amounts. Cupressaceae, Nothofagus and Betula prevailed during spring (September–December), and Plantago, Rumex and Poaceae during summer (December–March). The association of daily pollen concentration and meteorological variables, temperature (mean, maximum, minimum), dew point, rainfall and wind speed, was significant. Correlations showed to be negative, with the exception of that to wind speed. The total sum of fungi spores increased from 1,771 in 2001/2002; through 8,441 in 2002/2003 to 13,782 in 2003/2004. Relative concentration rose to 29%, 48% and 84% of the total number of pollen and fungal spores recorded during each sampling period.     

Risk of pollen allergy in Nerja (southern Spain): a pollen calendar

An aeropalynological study was carried out in the atmosphere of the city of Nerja (southern Spain) during a period of 4 years (2000–2003), using a Hirst type volumetric pollen trap. An annual pollen index of 59,750 grains, on average, was obtained with 80–85% of the total pollen recorded from February to May, with Pinus, Olea, Urticaceae, Cupressaceae, Quercus and Poaceae being the principal pollen producers in abundance order. A total of 29 pollen types that reached a 10-day mean equal to or greater than 1 grain of pollen per m³ of air is reflected in a pollen calendar. The results were compared with those obtained for nearby localities and a correlation analysis was made between the daily fluctuations of the main pollen types and total pollen, and meteorological parameters (temperature, rainfall and hours of sun). The daily, monthly and annual values reached by the most important pollen types from an allergenic point of view (Olea, Urticaceae and Poaceae) confirms Nerja as a high-risk locality for the residents and the numerous tourists who visit the area.     

Aeropalynologic analysis of La Plata City (Argentina) during a 3-year period

A continuous aeropalynologic survey of the atmosphere of La Plata was carried out between July 1998 and June 2001 in order to study flowering development from winter to summer using a Lanzoni volumetric spore trap. The total pollen spectrum was represented by 79 pollen types. Between 10 and 12 pollen types showed a relative concentration of more than 1% of the annual total. Airborne pollen was mainly represented by Platanus, Fraxinus, Cupressaceae, Poaceae, Urticaceae, Cyperaceae, Myrtaceae, Celtis, Casuarina and Morus during the 3-year period. Acer and Ambrosia pollen types were only dominant in the first 2 years. Maximum absolute concentrations were recorded in the the July 1998–June 1999 period, and the minimum concentrations were recorded in the July 2000–June 2001 period. The contribution of the arboreal pollen grains was higher than 68% relative to the annual total for each year. Two periods of maximum pollen emissions were found for each year: pollen from aboreal taxa predominated from July to October, and pollen from herbaceous taxa predominated from November to March. There was very little pollen in the atmosphere between April and June. The maximum arboreal and herbaceous pollen emissions were recorded during hours of daylight: at 10:00 and 14:00 hours.     

Annual pollen spectrum variations in the air of Bratislava (Slovakia): years 2002–2009

Pollen grains in the atmosphere of Bratislava were quantitatively and qualitatively analysed during an 8-year period (2002–2009) using a Burkard volumetric pollen trap. The mean annual total pollen grain count recorded during this period was 36,608, belonging to 34 higher plant taxa (22 trees and/or shrubs and 12 herbaceous species). The maximum annual total pollen grain count (50,563) was recorded in 2003 and the minimum (14,172) in 2009. The taxa contributing the highest concentration of pollen grains were Betula, Urticaceae, Cupressaceae-Taxaceae, Populus, Pinus, Poaceae and Ambrosia. During the study period, there was a remarkable increase in the number of pollen grains from February to April, with the highest daily mean pollen counts recorded in April. Total pollen concentration began to decrease markedly in May, but there was a second increase between July and August, followed by a decrease in September. The timing and length of the pollen seasons varied. Betula and Poaceae showed a rather constant 2-year fluctuating rhythm. The relationships between airborne pollen concentration and meteorological variables were assessed. Based on these results, the first pollen calendar in Slovakia has been constructed for the area of Bratislava, which provides a great deal of useful and important information.     

Airborne pollen concentration in Ankara,Turkey 1990–1993

Atmospheric pollen was collected with a Burkard spore trap in Ankara, Turkey, from January 1990 to January 1993. A total of 135.787 grains/m³ belonging to 47 taxa were observed. The local pollen season started in February in 1990 and 1991 and in March in 1992. Relatively low pollen concentrations were recorded in 1990 and 1992, probably because of precipitation and low wind speed in the spring. A relatively high pollen concentration was recorded in 1991 which could be caused by higher wind speed in the spring and more precipitation during the winter. Cupressaceae/Taxaceae, Pinaceae, Gramineae, Betula, Moraceae, Platanus, Populus, Acer, Quercus, Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae, Plantago, Rumex are found to be the dominant pollen types in the atmosphere in Ankara. The pollen composition generally reflects the vegetation of gardens, parks and roadsides, while the natural steppe vegetation of the area around Ankara is not properly represented.     

Vertical variation in pollen abundance in North-Central London

Summary Pollen data from three samplers located at heights of 0.5m, 10m and 55 m were used to investigate vertical differences in pollen abundance in North-Central London. Weekly accumulative counts for all pollen types were collected from February to September 1988. Distinct variations in abundance between the sites were recorded for some pollen taxa. For example,Gramineae recorded greater abundance at the higher sampling position. Other pollen types, includingPlatanus, were recorded at consistently greater abundance at the 10 m height compared to the 55 m level. Significant differences between the pollen counts at these two heights are discussed in relation to pollen source area, the specific gravity of the pollen grain, airflow patterns of the urban area and the weather conditions affecting pollen dispersal. Tracer experiments using Lycopodium spores were employed to investigate dispersal patterns to all three sampling heights. The results from these trials are used to assist in the interpretation of data from the depositional samplers. The study reported in this paper forms part of a wider survey of 14 sampling sites examining spatial variations in pollen abundance.     

Annual variation of airborne pollen in the city of Palencia,Spain, 1990–1992

The aim of this work is to present the atmospheric pollen concentrations of Palencia, Spain. Data were collected for three consecutive years (1990–92). An active volumetric pollen trap, type CAP2, was used. During this time, 88 different pollen types were identified, of which 27 occured at more than 0.15% of the total pollen recorded annually. These types formed the main pollen spectrum of this sampling station. Pollen coming from herbs (Poaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Plantago Urticaceae, etc.) was predominant (53.79%); arboreal pollen (Quercus, Populus Cupressaceae, etc.) represented 42.11%, and pollen from shrubs (Ericaceae, Sambucus etc.) only 4.10%.

May and June was the time of the year with maximum pollen emission to the air. This was due to the quantities of pollen coming from Poaceae and Quercus which together represent 47.25% of the pollen recorded over the three‐year sampling period. Herbaceous pollen appeared throughout the year with maximum concentrations recorded in the spring, coinciding with the maximum levels of arboreal pollen in the atmosphere.

An analysis of multiple regression and one‐way anova test between pollen concentrations and selected meteorological parameters show that relative humidity and average temperature are the meteorological factors most correlated with the concentrations of specific pollen types (Plantago, Ligustrum, Sambucus, Carex). In the same way, when the winds are predominantly from the northeast (second quadrant), there are higher pollen concentrations of Sambucus Ericaceae and Mercurialis.     

Annual pollen spectrum in the air of Palma de Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain)

This aeropalynological study documented the pollen of 13 taxa with the highest concentration in the air of Palma de Mallorca during the years 2004–2010, using a Hirst-type volumetric spore trap. The taxa were Cupressaceae, Olea europaea, Platanus hispanica, Pinus spp., Parietaria judaica, Urtica membranacea, Quercus ilex, Poaceae, Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae, Plantago spp., Castanea sativa, Pistacia lentiscus and Betula spp. These taxa accounted for 91.85 % of the total annual pollen recorded during the period. The mean annual pollen index was 20,027. The highest pollen counts occurred in February–June, representing 88.74 % of the annual total collected. Every year, there was a substantial increase in the concentration and types of pollen from March to May, followed by a decrease from July to January. The maximum annual total pollen count was recorded in 2005 with 25,870 and the minimum in 2009 with 14,726. The mean daily average pollen concentration count showed a declining trend over the study period. With respect to seasonal phases analysed, the later phase of the pollen season is more variable than the beginning. To observe the overall dynamics of the different pollen types better, a pollen calendar was established for Palma de Mallorca. The pollen calendar had typical Mediterranean features and is a useful tool for allergological and botanical awareness.     

An assessment of the air quality in indoor and outdoor air with reference to fungal spores and pollen grains in four working environments in Kerala, India

Qualitative and quantitative analyses of airborne fungal spores and pollen grains in four working environments (market, saw mill, poultry and cow sheds) in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, India, were carried out for 2 years using Burkard Personal Slide Sampler and Andersen Two-Stage Sampler. Total spore concentration in these sites was always higher in indoor environments than in outdoor environments. Difference in concentration was not statistically significant in any of these work places except in saw mill (t test, p < 0.05). The highest spore concentration was recorded here followed by market, poultry and cow sheds. A total of 32 fungal spore types from indoor environments and 33 spore types from outdoor environments were recorded. Of them, 16 spore types were common to all the sites. Ameropsores, Cladosporium, other basidiospores, Ganoderma and Nigrospora were the dominant spore types in both indoor and outdoor environments. A total of 27 species of viable fungi from indoor and 24 species from outdoor environments were identified. Penicillium citrinum, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger were the most dominant viable fungi isolated. In contrast, total pollen concentration was always higher in outdoor environments than in indoor environments. Twenty-nine pollen types from indoor and 32 pollen types from outdoor were captured during the sampling. Poaceae, Cocos, Artocarpus, Amaranthus/Chenopodium and Tridax were the common and dominant pollen types observed in all the sites. Peak spore and pollen incidence were recorded during the late rainy and dry seasons (October–February) in both indoor and outdoor environments. The study revealed high prevalence of predominantly allergenic fungal spores and pollen grains in all the four work places. Workers/visitors are at potential risk of susceptibility to respiratory/allergic disorders.     

Aeropalynological spectrum of Hatay,Turkey, the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea

An aeropalynological study during the years 2014–2015 was performed in Hatay, which is a unique sociocultural and phytogeographical area located on the border of Turkey and Syria on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean. The sampling was performed by a Hirst-type volumetric sampler (Lanzoni VPPS 2000), and pollen grains of 54 taxa were identified, of which 83.21% of the annual sum belonged to woody taxa. The highest pollen concentration was recorded in February, of which a large amount came from the Cupressaceae/Taxaceae families. The diversity of the pollen reflected the vegetation of the area and plantations of the city center, but pollen grains from Euro-Siberian elements specific to Mount Amanos could not be recorded. Pollen types found at more than 3% of the annual pollen index and considered dominant pollen types were as follows: Cupressaceae/Taxaceae (50.86%), Olea europaea (12.67%), Moraceae (7.20%), Poaceae (5.99%), Quercus (5.35%), Urticaceae (3.79%) and Pinus (3.70%); almost all dominant pollen types in the city atmosphere were previously stated to be allergic. The main pollen season starting dates of common pollen types found were one or two weeks earlier than those of the surroundings. Many statistically significant correlations were found between daily pollen concentrations and daily meteorological parameters, e.g., Cupressaceae/Taxaceae Poaceae and Urticaceae pollen correlated negatively with mean temperature in both years, and in the hindermost two families daily pollen amounts significantly correlated with wind speed in the second year. Daily Olea europaea pollen concentration showed a significant negative correlation with the amount of total daily rainfall in the second year.     

Pollen calendar of Nagpur,India

Daily observations on aerial pollen at Nagpur, India, for one year, at the heights of 1 m, 15 m and 40 m, showed that their number decreased with increase in height. One third of the pollen came from grasses, followed by trees (29.3%) and weeds (26.0%). In all 26 pollen types were identified. Anemophilous plants contributed 61.5% to the total pollen catch, whereas the contributions of entomophilous and amphiphilous plants were only 14.2% and 13.0%, respectively. There were two principal seasons of aerial pollen: August to November, dominated by weed-grass pollen; and January to May, dominated by tree-grass pollen. Grasses, Amaranthaceae—Chenopodiaceae, Ailanthus Papilionaceae—Caesalpiniaceae and Dodonaea were the first five most abundant types of pollen in Nagpur atmosphere. Grass pollen dominated in the air throughout the year, except during January when Dodonaea pollen outnumbered them.     

Status of airborne spores and pollen in a coir factory in Kerala,India

The prevalence of airborne fungal spores and pollen grains in the indoor and outdoor environments of a coir factory in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala state, India was studied using the Burkard Personal Sampler and the Andersen 2-stage Sampler for 2 years (September 1997 to August 1999). The concentration of pollen grains was remarkably lower than that of fungal spores (ratio of 1:28). There was no large difference in the concentrations and types of fungal spores between the indoor and outdoor environments, with 26 spore types found to be present indoors and 27 types outdoors; of these, 22 were common to both the environments. Aspergillus/Penicillium, Cladosporium, ‘other basidiospores’ and ascospores were the dominant spore types. The total spore concentration was highest in February and lowest in September, and it was significantly higher in 1998–1999 than in 1997–1998. Twenty viable colony-forming types were isolated from inside the coir factory. The most dominant viable fungi isolated were Penicillium citrinum, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger. The total pollen concentration was higher in the outdoor environment of the coir factory than indoors, with 15 and 17 pollen types, respectively. Grass and Cocos nucifera pollen types were dominant. The dominant spore and pollen types trapped in the two environments of the coir factory are reportedly allergenic and, consequently, workers are at risk of catching respiratory/allergic diseases.     

Quantitative aeropalynology in the atmosphere of Buenos Aires city, Argentina

For the first time, a volumetric study ofBuenos Aires city atmosphere was conductedusing a Lanzoni collector from March 1997through March 1998. Fifty-four pollen typeswere recorded of which 13 had a relativeconcentration of more than 1% of the yearlytotal. The lowest concentration of pollengrains was recorded in June, when Urticas,pp., Morus spp., and Myrtaceae were low.On the other hand, the highest concentration ofpollen grains was reached in September, with anincrease in Fraxinus spp. Theaeropalynological record may be divided intothree periods: *AP Dominant from July toOctober, *NAP Dominant from November toMarch, and *Residual Period from April toJune with low pollen concentrations.The greatest number of species was recorded inNovember, when 32 types were present, and thelowest number of species in June, when only 13pollen types were recorded. In June, the pollenconcentration was not dominated by any specieswhereas in September 85% of the pollen wasderived from one species of Fraxinus.Earlier studies on the aeropalynology of BuenosAires City were performed using Tauber andRotorod samplers. They were comparable to thisstudy, especially since the pollen peak wasreached in September, although the main pollenproducing species were different.     

Airborne pollen and spores on the Arctic island of Jan Mayen

A survey of airspora collected on Jan Mayen, an isolated North Atlantic island (71°N, 8°30′W), using a Burkard seven-day volumetric trap from 24th April to 31th August, 1988, revealed only very small concentrations. A total of 10 different pollen types were recorded, constituting a seasonal sum of 29 pollen grains. The local pollen season was confined to July, with Oxyria digna and Salix as the most numerous pollen types recorded. Exotic pollen grains, namely Betula, Pinus and Castanea type, were recorded in three periods during June and July. Studies of back trajectories indicate North America and/or Iceland and Greenland as possible source areas for the Betula pollen. There were more diatoms than pollen in the local airspora. Fungal spores mainly occurred in late July and August. Cladosporium constituted less than 5% of the total seasonal sum of fungal spores, while basidiospores contributed nearly 12%. The highest diurnal average of Cladosporium was 27 spores m^?3 air. The seasonal maximum of unidentified fungal spores reached a diurnal average of 639 spores m^?1 air on 27th August.     

Aerobiology and some chemical parameters of Parthenium hysterophorus pollen

Parthenium hysterophorus, a recently invaded toxic weed, in Eastern India, is now growing gregariously in Salt Lake City — a newly developed township situated in the eastern fringe of the metropolitan city of Calcutta. The floristic survey revealed that most of the trees and shrubs in Salt Lake City have been introduced except for a few, which were recorded as natural occurrence, Parthenium being most prevalent among them. Ecological associations of Parthenium in various localities of Salt Lake City were also investigated. Aerobiological survey was done using a Burkard seven day Volumetric Spore Trap, with the object to record the occurrence of Parthenium pollen in the air of Salt Lake in different seasons along with other airborne types. A total of 45 pollen and 60 fungal spore types were trapped and recorded. The frequency of grass and cyperaceous pollen were found to be dominant followed by Trema. Frequency of Parthenium was relatively insignificant. Chemical analyses of the pollen grains of Parthenium including assay of carbohydrate, lipid, protein, etc., were done. Clinically one out of six patients showed ELISA positive reaction to Parthenium pollen.     

A comprehensive aerobiological study of the airborne pollen in the Irish environment

Respiratory allergies triggered by pollen allergens represent a significant health concern to the Irish public. Up to now, Ireland has largely refrained from participating in long-term aerobiological studies. Recently, pollen monitoring has commenced in several sampling locations around Ireland. The first results of the pollen monitoring campaigns for Dublin (urban) and Carlow (rural) concerning the period 2017–2019 and 2018–2019, respectively, are presented herein. Additional unpublished pollen data from 1978–1980 and, 2010–2011 were also incorporated in creating the first pollen calendar for Dublin. During the monitoring period over 60 pollen types were identified with an average Annual Pollen Integral (APIn) of 32,217 Pollen × day/m³ for Dublin and 78,411 Pollen × day/m³ for Carlow. The most prevalent pollen types in Dublin were: Poaceae (32%), Urticaceae (29%), Cupressaceae/Taxaceae (11%), Betula (10%), Quercus (4%), Pinus (3%), Fraxinus (2%), Alnus (2%) and Platanus (1%). The predominant pollen types in Carlow were identified as Poaceae (70%), Urticaceae (12%), Betula (10%), Quercus (2%), Fraxinus (1%) and Pinus (1%). These prevalent pollen types increased in annual pollen concentration in both locations from 2018 to 2019 except for Fraxinus. Although higher pollen concentrations were observed for the Carlow (rural) site a greater variety of pollen types were identified for the Dublin (urban) site. The general annual trend in the pollen season began with the release of tree pollen in early spring, followed by the release of grass and herbaceous pollen which dominated the summer months with the annual pollen season coming to an end in October. This behaviour was illustrated for 21 different pollen types in the Dublin pollen calendar. The correlation between ambient pollen concentration and meteorological parameters was also examined and differed greatly depending on the location and study year. A striking feature was a substantial fraction of the recorded pollen sampled in Dublin did not correlate with the prevailing wind directions. However, using non-parametric wind regression, specific source regions could be determined such as Alnus originating from the Southeast, Betula originating from the East and Poaceae originating from the Southwest.

     

A pollen calendar for Chittagong University Campus,Chittagong (Bangladesh)

Summary This work presents a calendar of pollen types found in the atmosphere of Chittagong University Campus, Chittagong, Bangladesh, recorded over the period of March 1988–February 1990. A total of 9,225 pollen/cm² was encountered and classified in 36 pollen types belonging to 26 families. The pollen concentration showed three peak periods, March, October and November and each period was dominated by a specific pollen type. Low frequency of pollen was probably due to heavy rainfall which washed down the pollen. January and February were also marked by lower abundance of pollen and was probably due to the low rate of flowering. This study clearly showed four airborne pollen seasons from October to November, December to February, March to April and June to September. The dominant pollen types were Poaceae, followed by Amaranthaceae, Arecaceae, Asteraceae and Cyperaceae. The pollen calendar was provided to show the range of flowering with the period of occurrence in air of the area studied.     

A comparative study on the effects of altitude on daily and hourly airborne pollen counts

The concentration of pollen grains in the air was studied using two aerobiological volumetric Hirst-type spore traps, one at ground level and the other at a height of 16 m on a terrace. The study was carried out between 2009 and 2011, from March to June in Badajoz (SW Spain). Intradiurnal and daily pollen counts were compared with both, different meteorological parameters and the distribution of local pollen sources. Forty-six pollen types were identified and 89 % of the total grains corresponded to Quercus, Poaceae, Olea, Pinaceae and Plantago pollen types, in descending order. The mean height ratio of the daily pollen count was 1.02. Significant correlations were observed when comparing daily pollen counts for predominant pollen types at both levels. The comparisons have shown significant differences in the daily pollen count between the two samplers in the case of Olea and Pinaceae, but not for Quercus, Poaceae and Plantago. Similar results were obtained using the intradiurnal airborne pollen database. No significant correlation has been found between pollen count and the different meteorological parameters, showing no dependence on height. These differences of Olea and Pinaceae may be explained in part by the uneven distribution of the pollen sources and the disturbance by nearby buildings. The temporal variation patterns between the two sites were similar; however, taking into account the average of the data, the higher values were obtained first at the ground level and later at 16 m.