2022

Author(s): Rosianu AM, Leru PM, Stefan S, Iorga G, Marmureanu L

Pollen levels in rapidly developing urban areas are of particular interest due to their negative impact on human health, being responsible for the increasing prevalence of seasonal allergic diseases. This study analyzed multiyear data (2014-2019) of the pollen concentrations in correlation with major air pollutants PM10, PM2.5, NOx, CO, VOCs, O-3, SO2 and meteorological parameters from Bucharest, in order to find potential links between them. The pollen monitoring performed at Colentina Clinical Hospital using a Hirst-type pollen trap showed that maximum values of pollen concentration from trees are reached in early spring, from grasses in spring and early summer and from weeds in late summer and fall. The correlation analysis was performed using the Spearman correlation coefficient on annual and seasonal basis and revealed the influence of air pollutants and meteorological parameters on pollen concentrations. No monotonic decreasing or increasing trend was detected for Bucharest during the investigated 6-year period, but a general constant behavior.