Urban atmospheric levels of allergenic pollen: comparison of two locations in Salamanca, Central-Western Spain.

In this paper, differences in the pollen levels detected in two parts of Salamanca (a city in central-western Spain) have been revealed using two volumetric samplers. One sampler was located in the city centre and the other in a semi-natural zone. The two sampling devices were separated by a distance of 1.4 km. During the two-year study period, the most abundant allergenic pollen type was Poaceae, with peak values being detected in May. Maximum values were registered between April and June. The values obtained in both zones with regard to pollen seasonality were similar during the peak day, but the abundance of pollen grains detected in the semi-urban was higher, except for Olea pollen type. The atmospheric pollen season was similar in duration, except for some types belonging to the genera Plantago and Urticaceae, which showed divergent values most probably due to the influence of climatic conditions. The meteorological parameter most significantly correlated to pollen concentration was temperature, being negative for winter species and positive for plants preferring warmer climates. In addition, rainfall showed a negative correlation in most cases due to the influence of precipitation on the behaviour of atmospheric airborne pollen.

Annual and intradiurnal variation of dominant airborne pollen and the effects of meteorological factors in Çesme (Izmir, Turkey).

In this present study, airborne pollen in Çesme was investigated between February 17, 2012 and February 17, 2014 using the volumetric method. Çesme, one of Turkey's most important tourism centers, which attracts numerous local and foreign tourists each year, is a district of Izmir, a province in the western part of Turkey. During the 2-year study, 12,905 pollen grains belonging to 64 taxa (33 arboreal, 31 non-arboreal plants) were detected. However, the 2-year data results revealed that the taxa with the pollen concentration more than 4% in the atmosphere were Cupressaceae/Taxaceae (4268 pollen, 33.07%), Olea europaea (1614 pollen grains, 12.51%), Pinaceae (1085 pollen grains, 8.41%), Quercus spp. (1081 pollen grains, 8.38%), Pistacia spp. (743 pollen grains, 5.76%), and Poaceae (557 pollen grains, 4.32%), all of which comprised 72.44% of the total count. The relationship between the daily pollen counts belonging to these six taxa and the hourly average temperature (°C), daily precipitation (mm), relative humidity (%), and wind speed (km/h) was assessed using the Spearman correlation test, and significant results were determined. During the study, the intradiurnal distribution of the aforementioned pollen varied. The highest pollen concentration was detected between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (first year 30.3%; second year 30.1%).

Flora alergógena urbana y polen atmosférico de Diamante (Argentina) / Allergenic urban flora and airborne pollen in the air of Diamante (Argentina)

El polen del aire produce rinitis, conjuntivitis y asma, lo que lleva a una disminución en la calidad de vida. Las especies más abundantes de la vegetación son en general, las que aportan mayoritariamente al registro atmosférico de polen. Sin embargo, esta relación puede variar dependiendo de la cercanía de las fuentes y de la estrategia reproductiva de las plantas emisoras. En este trabajo realizado en la ciudad de Diamante (Entre Ríos, Argentina), se analizó la vegetación arbórea en cuanto a abundancia, diversidad, distribución territorial, tipo de polinización y potencialidad alergénica, para luego evaluar su relación con el polen que se registró en la atmósfera durante un ciclo anual, utilizando un método aerobiológico volumétrico y continuo bajo estándares internacionales. Se observó que la vegetación analizada presenta una gran diversidad. Los representantes de las familias más abundantes en la vegetación tienen polinización entomófila, como Tabebuia impetiginosa y Tecoma stans. Por otra parte, el 34% de los árboles correspondió a familias de polinización anemófila. Los árboles cercanos al muestreador aerobiológico (dentro de las áreas local y extralocal) son las principales fuentes de polen que contribuyen al espectro atmosférico, especialmente los árboles anemófilos. Entre ellos cabe mencionar: Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Ulmus procera y Broussonetia papyrifera. El polen de especies anemófilas en su mayoría tiene características alergénicas y son potencialmente perjudiciales para la salud. Los resultados obtenidos no sólo son importantes para ajustar el modelo aerobiológico de la ciudad, sino que sirven de fundamento para planificar el arbolado urbano.(AU)

Airborne pollen produces rhinitis, conjunctivitis and asthma, leading to a decreased quality of life. In general, the most abundant vegetation species are also present in greater amounts in the pollen spectrum. However, this relationship can vary depending on the proximity of the sources and the plant reproductive strategy. This work was carried out in Diamante city (Entre Ríos, Argentina). Abundance, diversity, territorial distribution, type of pollination, and allergenic potential of vegetation were analyzed to finally assess the relationship with the pollen recorded in the atmosphere during one annual cycle. A volumetric and continuous aerobiological method under international protocols was used to sample the airborne pollen. It was observed that urban vegetation is diverse. Families more abundant in vegetation have insect-pollinated species as representatives: Tabebuia impetiginosa and Tecoma stans. On the other hand, 34% of the trees corresponded to wind-pollinated families. The trees near the aerobiological sampler (within local and extralocal areas) were the main pollen sources contributing to the atmospheric pollen spectrum, especially those wind-pollinated tree species as Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Ulmus procera and Broussonetia papyrifera. Pollen from wind-pollinated species is most likely to be allergenic and so, potentially harmful to health. The results are important not only to adjust the aerobiological model of the city, but also as a basis to plan urban forest(AU)