The effects of transported Asian dust on the composition and concentration of ambient fungi in Taiwan |
| |
Authors: | H Jasmine Chao Chang-Chuan Chan Carol Y Rao Chung-Te Lee Ying-Chih Chuang Yueh-Hsiu Chiu Hsiao-Hsien Hsu Yi-Hua Wu |
| |
Institution: | (1) School of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, 5F Health Science Building, No. 250 Wu-Hsing St, Taipei, Taiwan, 110;(2) Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, No.17 Xu-Zhou Road, Taipei, Taiwan, 100;(3) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA;(4) Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Central University, No. 300, Jungda Rd, Jhongli City, Taoyuan, Taiwan, 320;(5) Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA |
| |
Abstract: | This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of transported Asian dust and other environmental parameters on the levels
and compositions of ambient fungi in the atmosphere of northern Taiwan. We monitored Asian dust events in Taipei County, Taiwan
from January 2003 to June 2004. We used duplicate Burkard portable air samplers to collect ambient fungi before, during, and
after dust events. Six transported Asian dust events were monitored during the study period. Elevated concentrations of Aspergillus (A. niger, specifically), Coelomycetes, Rhinocladiella, Sporothrix and Verticillium were noted (p < 0.05) during Asian dust periods. Botryosporium and Trichothecium were only recovered during dust event days. Multiple regression analysis showed that fungal levels were positively associated
with temperature, wind speed, rainfall, non-methane hydrocarbons and particulates with aerodynamic diameters ≤10 μm (PM10), and negatively correlated with relative humidity and ozone. Our results demonstrated that Asian dust events affected ambient
fungal concentrations and compositions in northern Taiwan. Ambient fungi also had complex dynamics with air pollutants and
meteorological factors. Future studies should explore the health impacts of ambient fungi during Asian dust events, adjusting
for the synergistic/antagonistic effects of weather and air pollutants. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 PubMed SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|