title: One year record of bioaerosols and particles concentration in Indo-Gangetic Plain: Implications of biomass burning emissions to high-level of endotoxin exposure.
abstract: Previous studies worldwide have suggested the potential role of bioaerosols as ice-nuclei and cloud-condensation nuclei. Furthermore, their participation in regulating the global carbon cycle urges systematic studies from different environmental conditions throughout the globe. Towards this through one-year study, conducted from June 2015-May 2016, we report on atmospheric abundance and variability of viable bioaerosols, organic carbon (OC) and particles number and deduced mass concentrations from Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP; at Kanpur). Among viable bioaerosols, the highest concentrations of Gram-positive bacteria (GPB), Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) and Fungi were recorded during December-January (Avg.: 189 CFU/m3), November (244 CFU/m3) and September months (188 CFU/m3), respectively. Annual average concentration of GPB, GNB and Fungi were 105 ± 58, 144 ± 82 and 116 ± 51 CFU/m3. Particle number concentration (PNC) associated with fine-fraction aerosols (FFA) predominates throughout the year. However, mineral dust (coarser particle) remains a perennial constituent of atmospheric aerosols over the IGP. Temporal variability records and significant positive linear relationship (p < 0.05) of GPB and GNB with OC and biomass burning derived potassium (K+BB) indicates their association with massive emissions from paddy-residue burning (PRB) and bio-fuel burning. Influence of meteorological parameters on viable bioaerosols abundance has been rigorously investigated herein. Accordingly, ambient temperature seems to be more affecting the bacteria (anti-correlation), whereas wet-precipitation (1-4 mm) relates to higher abundance of Fungi. High abundance of GNB during large-scale biomass burning emissions has implications to endotoxin exposure on human health. Field-based data-set of bioaerosols, OC, PNC and deduced mass concentrations reported herein could serve to better constraint their role in human health and climate relevance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering and APTL at Centre for Environmental Science and Engineering (CESE), IIT Kanpur, Kanpur, 208 016, India.
authors.forename: Prashant
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rajput
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering and APTL at Centre for Environmental Science and Engineering (CESE), IIT Kanpur, Kanpur, 208 016, India.
authors.forename: Manzar Hussain
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Anjum
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering and APTL at Centre for Environmental Science and Engineering (CESE), IIT Kanpur, Kanpur, 208 016, India. Electronic address: tarun@iitk.ac.in.
authors.forename: Tarun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gupta
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D000391:Air Microbiology; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D018533:Biomass; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D017745:Incineration; D007194:India; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D011634:Public Health; D011891:Rain
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D004391:Dust; D004731:Endotoxins; D052638:Particulate Matter
keywords: Bacteria; Bioaerosols; Endotoxin; Fungi; Indo-Gangetic Plain; Organic carbon