title: Study on some factors affecting survivability of airborne fungi.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of some air pollutants and meteorological parameters on the survivability of airborne fungi. Fungi were collected by using a slit impactor sampler calibrated to draw 20 L/min, for 3 min. Nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)), sulfur dioxide (SO(2)), particulate matter (PM), relative humidity (RH %), temperature (T °C) and wind speed (WS) were also measured. Air samples were taken during the period from March 2006 to February 2007. Fungal concentrations ranged between 45 and 451 CFU/m(3) with an annual mean concentration of 216 CFU/m(3). The lowest fungal concentration was found in the summer, however the highest one was found in the autumn. NO(2,) SO(2) and PM averaged 83.66 μg/m(3), 67.01 μg/m(3), and 237.69 μg/m(3), respectively. T °C was positively and negatively correlated with Aspergillus (P = 0.000) and Penicillium (P = 0.007), respectively. RH% was positively correlated with total fungi (P = 0.001), Aspergillus (P = 0.002) and Cladosporium (P = 0.047). Multiple regression analysis showed that T °C and RH% were the most predicted variants. Non-significant correlations were found between fungal concentrations and air pollutants. Meteorological parameters were the critical factors affecting fungal survivability.
authors.affiliation: Air Pollution Dept, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abdel Hameed
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Khoder
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saeed
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Osman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghanem
mesh_terms: D000391:Air Microbiology; D004534:Egypt; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006813:Humidity; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000032:analysis*; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012621:Seasons; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000032:analysis*; D013696:Temperature; D014919:Wind
chemical_list: D052638:Particulate Matter; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide