Relationship between Weather Conditions and Release of Allergen Pollen and Spores to the Air in Haifa
Abstract
Daily airborne pollen and fungal spores were collected over one year (1.2.06 – 31.1.07), using a Burkard continuous volumetric pollen trap, located in the center of a neighborhood in Haifa. Twenty one allergenic pollen types and 24 spore types were identified. Daily records of seven main meteorological factors (rainfall, sunshine, main wind direction, wind speed, air temperature, relative humidity and barometric pressure) were gathered too. The aim of the present study is to determine the main pollination/sporulation seasons (MPS)/(MSS), the peak periods (PP), and specific days (SD) for each type of pollen and spores identified, and to find correlations with meteorological factors. The 21 pollen types were divided into five groups according to main pollination season. Spore types were divided into four groups according to their main sporulation season. Positive correlation was found between pollen and spore concentration and mean temperature. Negative correlations were found between pollen concentration and relative humidity and between spore concentration and barometric pressure.References
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