Is the birch pollen threat the same indoors and outdoors?
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
The study compares the concentration of birch pollen indoors and outdoors in 2019. The investigations were carried out using the volumetricmethod (Hirst type pollen sampler). Seasonal Pollen Index (SPI) was estimated as the sum of daily average pollen concentrations in the givenseason. Pollen season was defined as the period in which 98% of the annual total catch occurred. The birch pollen season in 2019 started at thebeginning of April. The first pollen grains were recorded in internal samples on the April 4th, only one day after than in external air. In generally theperiod of occurrence of birch pollen in the outdoor and indoor air coincided (28/29 days). The maximum values of seasonal birch pollen countwere noted on April 18th (467 g/m3) and on April 20th (1971 g/m3) (indoor/outdoor). The annual pollen sum of birch noted outdoor reached 18 148, inside seminary room – 3141, which is 17% of total. Three peaks of high concentrations of birch pollen were noted outside, which was only partly reflected in the indoor air. This may be result of closing the windows for the night and on weekends. The threat of birch pollen allergens during the 2019 pollen season was high. For most of the season in outside air were noted values in which patients report severe allergy symptoms. Such concentrations were recorded for 9 days indoor with concentration above 90 grains/m3 (acute symptoms of allergy).
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright: © Medical Education sp. z o.o. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0). License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), allowing third parties to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format and to remix, transform, and build upon the material, provided the original work is properly cited and states its license.
Address reprint requests to: Medical Education, Marcin Kuźma (marcin.kuzma@mededu.pl)
References
2. Höppe P, Martinac I. Indoor climate and air quality. Review of current and future topics in the field of ISB study group 10. Int J Biometeorol 1998, 42: 1-7.
3. Sterling DA, Lewis RD. Pollen and fungal spores indoor and outdoor of mobile homes. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 1998, 80: 279-285.
4. BastlK, Berger U, Kmenta M. Ten questions about pollen and symptom load and the need for indoor measurements in built environment. Build Environ 2016, 98: 200-208.
5. Bastl K, Berger U, Kmenta M, Weber M. Is there an advantage to staying indoors for pollen allergy sufferers? Composition and quantitative aspects of the indoor pollen spectrum. Build Environ 2017, 123: 78-87.
6. Emberlin J, Savage M, Woodman R. Annual variations in the concentrations of Betula pollen in the London area, 1961-1990. Grana 1993, 32: 359-363.
7. Spieksma FTM, Emberlin JC, Hjelmroos M et al. Atmospheric birch (Betula) pollen in Europe. Grana 1995, 34: 51-57.
8. Tutin TG, Heywood VH, Burges NA (eds). Flora Europaea 2. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1968.
9. Ralska-Jasiewiczowa M, Latałowa M, Wasylikowa K et al (eds). Late Glacial and Holocene history of vegetation in Poland based on isopollen maps. Polish Academy of Sciences, Cracow 2004.
10. Rapiejko P, Stankiewicz W, Szczygielski K et al. Progowe stężenia pyłku roślin niezbędne do wywołania objawów alergicznych. Otolaryngol Pol 2007, 61(4): 591-594.
11. Skjoth CA, Sommer J, Stach A et al. The long range transport of birch (Betula) pollen from Poland and Germany causes significant pre-season concentrations in Denmark. Clin Exp Allergy 2007, 37: 1204-1212.
12. Hugg T, Rantio-Lehtimäki A. Indoor and outdoor pollen concentrations in private and public spaces during the Betula pollen season. Aerobiologia 2007, 23(2): 119-129.