Diurnal variation of chosen airborne pollen at five sites in Poland

Abstract

The aerobiological investigations were carried out at five sites located in different climatic and geobotanical regions in Poland. The diurnal periodicity of Alnus, Betula, Secale, Poaceae, Urtica, and Artemisia was studied during two successive years. The taxa were chosen on the basis of pollen grain abundance and allergenity. The pollen was collected with a Burkard spore trap. Twelve transversal transverses of microscope slides corresponding to two-hour periods were analysed. The diurnal variations of Poaceae, Alnus and Betula were irregular and varied between sites and years; high concentrations were observed at different hours of the day and night. Diurnal concentrations of Secale, Urtica and Artemisia had only one maximum in the middle of the day, constant between sites and years. The lowest concentrations were observed between evening and early morning. There was no close relation between the time of the liberation of Alnus, Betula and Poaceae pollen and the time of the maximum pollen counts. There was a several hour delay observed between the time of Secale pollen liberation and maximum concentration of airborne pollen.