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The First Pollen Monitoring Centre in
Timisoara (Romania).
Allergen Flora in Urban Areas (1999-2010)
Nicoleta IANOVICI
West University of Timisoara,
Faculty of Chemistry, Biology and Geography,
Biology and Chemistry Department
www.hungary-romania-cbc.eu, www.huro-cbc.eu
The most important bioparticles are
pollen grains from anemophilous plants.
A certain level of bioparticles in the air, can trigger
important allergic reactions. Air allergenic particles
from plants can be pollen, seeds, stems or leaf
waste and protein molecules. These allergens are a
natural component of the atmosphere.
Knowledge of the presence, distribution and flowering time of
allergenic wild and cultivated plants compared with monitoring the
pollen in the air in a particular area, are necessary for etiologic
diagnosis.
Changes of allergen content of the air should be
known early enough to react with changes in
diagnosis and treatment, whenever a new allergen is
present.
The abundance of urban allergophytes is influenced by human
activity, coupled with ecological and geographical conditions of the
urban environment and the achieved level of stability.
The presence of neglected areas favours opportunistic species.
The widespread use of few species of trees along the roads
gives rise to production of large amounts of monospecific pollen
allergen.
Intensive urban development has created urban deserts
with unfinished construction sites, particularly in times of
crisis, providing a niche that meets their requirements.
Urban planning allergophytism may develop in
cultivated "green zones" made up of exotic plants.
Avoiding allergenic species while planning new urban
green spaces could provide a healthy environment.
Increase of urban biodiversity has been
strongly required as a priority.
This is a ratio of pollen concentrations in the air in Timisoara
between the years 1999 and 2010. Our centre at the West
University of Timisoara was the only pollen monitoring centre for
this period in Romania.
Using data on the aerobiological characteristics of urban
allergophytes, an allergen index is presented. Based on this
index, plants are grouped in highly allergenic, moderately
allergenic, mildly allergenic or uncertain effect. This index
may be used to conduct a study of a city’s phytoallergenic
potential.
This monitoring has provided us with valuable
information on the spread of alien and invasive
species (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), whose pollen
is known to be allergenic.
Volumetric method of collection,
identification and quantification
of air pollen.
(Ogden et al., 1974; Faegri &
Iversen, 1992; Mandrioli et al.,
1998).
Capcana volumetrică VPPS Lanzoni
Results of monitoring airborne pollen concentration during 1999-2010 in Timisoara (Romania) revealed by volumetric method a total of 23 types of potential allergen pollen from taxa anemophily.
Of these, four have great importance in terms
given allergenic pollen index: Ambrosia,
Poaceae, Artemisia and Betula.
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
III IV V VI VII VIII IX
tipuri polinice cu
semnificaţie alergenică
majoră
tipuri polinice cu
semnificaţie alergenică
minoră
neidentificate
Pollen types with major allergenic significance Pollen types with minor allergenic significance unidentified
To calculate the index of a single allergen species, the
following parameters have been considered:
• length of the phenophase,
• the occurrence of the phenomenon of cross-reactivity,
• abundance of species in terms of aerobiology.
Comparing the allergenic indices with manifestations of
allergic rhinitis in patients (Hruska, 2003), numerical
values have been divided into four workgroups:
AI to 2 - uncertain effect;
AI from 2.5 to 5.5 - mildly allergenic pollen species;
AI 6 to 6.5 - moderately allergenic pollen species;
AI 7 - species with highly allergenic pollen
Pollen type Blooming
phenophase
Abundance established according
to mean values of pollen index
Cross -
reactivity
AI
value
HIGHLY ALLERGENIC
Poaceae (graminee) 2 4 1 7
Ambrosia 2 4 1 7 MODERATLY ALLERGENIC
Artemisia 2 3 1 6
Urticaceae 2 3 1 6
Betula 2 3 1 6
MILDLY ALLERGENIC
Carpinus 2 2 1 5
Rumex 2 2 1 5
Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae 2 2 1 5
Plantago 2 2 1 5
Pinaceae 2 2 1 5
Taxaceae/Cupressaceae 2 2 1 5
Populus 2 3 0 5
Acer 2 2 0 4
Salix 2 2 0 4
Alnus 2 1 1 4
Corylus 2 1 1 4
Quercus 2 1 1 4
Fraxinus 2 1 1 4
Ulmus 2 1 0 3,5
Tilia 2 1 0 3
Morus 0,5 2 0 2,5
IRRELEVANT EFFECT
Juglans 0,5 1 0 1,5
Platanus 0,5 0,5 0 1
Identifying and quantifying airborne allergens may
contribute to:
Targeting specific preventive measures;
Assessing the role played by the allergens in sensitization;
Directing immediate and future therapeutic plans;
Directing production of allergenic extracts and
vaccines according to the presence of allergophytes in
a certain area
Producing plant pollen calendars which show
the dynamics of pollen allergen and invasive
anemophyle plants
The management of parks and green areas.