Monitoring and assessment of airborne fungi in Kolkata, India, by viable and non-viable air sampling methods

Abstract

The composition and variability of airborne fungal spores were studied using two complementary sampling methods in an outdoor environment in Kolkata suburb for 2 years, from November 2002 to October 2004. For monitoring the total fungal spore burden in the air, Burkard 7-day volumetric sampler was used, whereas Andersen two-sage viable sampler was used for isolating the cultivable airborne fungi. Among the 37 fungal spore types identified in the air samples, the predominant ones were Cladosporium, unidentified ascospores, unidentified basidiospores, Aspergilli/Penicilli, Nigrospora, Periconia, Chaetomium, Drechslera, Alternaria, Coprinus, Ganoderma, Pithomyces, and rust spores. Only six fungal spore types (Alternaria, Aspergilli/Penicilli, Cladosporium, Curvularia, Drechslera, and Nigrospora) were recovered in common by the two samplers. For Aspergilli/Penicilli, Drechslera, and Nigrospora, the spore concentration was underestimated in the non-viable sampling method (Burkard sampler). In general, higher spore count was recorded in winter. The highest fungal species variability was observed in early monsoon (June). Relative humidity could significantly predict the seasonal periodicity of the maximum number of airborne spores. The total airborne fungi concentration recorded in the study (15-16 × 10(3) spores m(-3) of air) was lower than the proposed threshold limit value for clinical significance, suggesting apparently no or less airborne-fungi-exposure-related health risk in the sampling area. Cladosporium cladosporioides was recorded beyond the proposed threshold limit value in January 2003 and March 2004; Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus nidulans in winter that might have posed considerable health risk to sensitized individuals.

Microbial diversity of bioaerosol inside sports facilities and antibiotic resistance of isolated Staphylococcus spp.

“…Cladosporium and Leptosphaeria showed peaks between 2:00 and 4:00 in the morning, maintaining the stable spore concentration in the afternoon and decreasing at 22:00. Similarly, Sadyś (2017) noted maximum concentrations of Cladosporium at 9.00, while Das and Gupta-Bhattacharya (2012) assessing air quality in Kolkata (India) recorded the morning peak of Cladosporium and Alternaria at 11:00 and 12:00, respectively. Bardei et al (2017) observed a uniform distribution of spores of Alternaria and Cladosporium during the day, with the peaks around 12:00-14:00 for Alternaria and 14:00-16:00 for Cladosporium.…”

“…In the studies in the United Kingdom, the number of these spores was highest at 11:00. (Millington and Corden 2005), while in Kolkata, at around 9:00 (morning peak) and at 16:00 (afternoon peak) (Das and Gupta-Bhattacharya 2012).…”

Diversidad Fúngica en La Atmósfera De La Habana (Cuba) Durante Tres Períodos Poco Lluviosos

“…El método viable permite aislar del aire e indentificar propágulos de hongos capaces de crecer en un medio de cultivo, que se recolectan en muestreos con una frecuencia variable. Los métodos no viables posibilitan un monitoreo continuo y la determinación de la variación temporal de las concentraciones de géneros o tipos esporales (Das y Gupta-Bhattacharya 2012). constataron una elevada diversidad de la aeromicobiota de La Habana en el período de un año utilizando dos métodos volumétricos complementarios (viable y no viable).…”

Hourly and daily changes on airborne urediniospores of Phakopsora pachyrhizi

“…The survey of airborne fungi spores by variable means has been done (LUO et al, 2007;OLIVEIRA et al, 2009a;KUDO et al, 2011;DAS;GUPTA-BHATTACHARYA, 2012;ALMAGUER et al, 2013;RIEUX et al, 2014;AHER et al, 2015). The assessment of air inoculum can contribute to understanding the potential risk of epidemics of diseases during the plant cycle (WAKEHAM; KENNEDY, 2010;KIMBER 2015;IGARASHI et al, 2016).…”