Airborne pollen concentrations overpass expectations in the tropical city of Medellín, Colombia.

Aerobiology in the tropics is still a science in development, where very little about their dynamics is known. Airborne pollen concentrations in the city of Medellín (Colombia) were measured using a Hirst-type sampler and correlated with meteorological parameters (relative humidity, rainfall, temperature, wind speed, and wind direction, this last analyzed by using circular statistics). Sampling was conducted over three years (2019-2022), and pollen grains were detected on all days of sampling, at higher concentrations than expected for tropical conditions.

Influence of meteorological variables and air pollutants on measurements from automatic pollen sampling devices.

This study examines the influence of meteorological factors and air pollutants on the performance of automatic pollen monitoring devices, as part of the EUMETNET Autopollen COST ADOPT-intercomparison campaign held in Munich, Germany, during the 2021 pollen season. The campaign offered a unique opportunity to compare all automatic monitors available at the time, a Plair Rapid-E, a Hund-Wetzlar BAA500, an OPC Alphasense, a KH-3000 Yamatronics, three Swisens Polenos, a PollenSense APS, a FLIR IBAC2, a DMT WIBS-5, an Aerotape Sextant, to the average of four manual Hirst traps, under the same environmental conditions. The investigation aimed to elucidate how meteorological factors and air pollution impact particle capture and identification efficiency.

Predicting the main pollen season of Broussonetia Papyrifera (paper mulberry) tree.

Paper mulberry pollen, declared a pest in several countries including Pakistan, can trigger severe allergies and cause asthma attacks. We aimed to develop an algorithm that could accurately predict high pollen days to underpin an alert system that would allow patients to take timely precautionary measures. We developed and validated two prediction models that take historical pollen and weather data as their input to predict the start date and peak date of the pollen season in Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan.

Effects of climate change on Platanus flowering in Western Mediterranean cities: Current trends and future projections.

Ornamental trees can reduce some of the negative impacts of urbanization on citizens but some species, such as Platanus spp., produce pollen with high allergenic potential. This can exacerbate the symptomatology in allergic patients, being a public health problem.