Pollen fall of certain allergenic plants in Poznan in the years 1992-1995. The basis for the compilation of a pollen calendar for Poznan and surrounding area

Alicja Stach

Department of Geomorphology, Quaternary Research Institute, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland

Published in: R. Spiewak (Editor): "Pollens and Pollinosis: Current Problems". Institute of Agricultural Medicine, Lublin (Poland) 1995, pages 27-28.

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Po Polsku

Objective

The observations have been conducted systematically since June 1992 with the following aims:

1. to provide information for physicians specialized in allergy, and from March to September, for all inhabitants of Poznan and Wielkopolska, about the presence of pollen,
2. reporting conditions regularly each Wednesday to the Polish Pollen Monitoring Centre and further, to EANS (European Aeroallergen Network Service) in Vienna,
3. compilation of a pollen calendar for city of Poznan and surrounding area.

Material and Methods

The qualitative composition of sporomorphs, trapped on a 16x16 mm microscope slide coated with a sticky substance (Durham trap - Kapolan 1985), has been determined. In 1992 measurements were made at Rynek Wildecki (Hofman, Stach 1994); additional measurements were made occasionally at points: 7 Fredry Street and 20 Zwierzyniecka Street. In late autumn, winter and early spring, measurements were made weekly.

Since 1993, further measurements have been taken for the Environmental Allergen Research Centre (now the Polish Pollen Monitoring Centre) (Rapiejko 1994) at Rynek Wildecki as well as at the Science Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences at 17/19 Wieniawskiego Street. Systematic measurements of the weekly output of pollen have also been started at Mikstacka Street, Nieszawska Street, Pod Lipami residential estate and in Jeziory (the Wielkopolski National Park).

On the 3rd of January 1995, our study was extended to measure the pollen fall by means of a glass container (Szczepanek 1994) and by an apparatus known as the Seven-Day Recording Volumetric Spore Trap, which measures the concentration of pollen in 1 cubic metre of air.

Results and Conclusions

The results obtained in 1993 were analyzed in relation to meteorological factors such as air temperature, precipitation, air humidity and wind speed. The analysis of output in 1994 registered essential differences at individual points. Analysis was made of selected categories of allergens such as: hazel (Corylus), alder (Alnus), birch (Betula), grasses (Poaceae), corn (Cerealia), and mugwort (Artemisia) by comparing the intensity of their pollen production in different years. It was established that the timing and concentration of pollen production in succesive years are dependent not only on individual taxonomic characteristics and geographical location but also on the prevailing meteorological conditions in a particular area.

The results obtained prove the necessity of establishing systematic surveys of the concentration of pollen in the atmosphere, especially in those towns, where specialist allergy treatment centres are located.

References

1. Hofman T., Stach A. Opad pylkowy a pylkowica na terenie Poznania. Przyczynek do opracowania kalendarza pylenia dla Poznania. Klinika 1994, 4, 33-36.
2. Jelks M.L., Solomon R.S. Airborne Allergens. [In:] Kaplan (ed.) Allergy, Chapter 15, New York 1985.
3. Rapiejko P., Zawisza E., Samolinski B., Lipiec A. Ocena przydatnosci pomiarow stezenia aeroalergenów urzadzeniem PVST-2 firmy ALERGO-RP w profilaktyce i leczeniu pylkowicy. Otolaryngol Pol 1994, 48/18, 53-54.
4. Szczepanek K. Pollen fall in Krakow in 1982-1991. Zesz Nauk Uniw Jagiell, Prace Geogr 1994, 97, 9-22.

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