Atmospheric Biopollutant Monitoring in Relation to Meteorological Parameters

Abstract

The present paper deals with the results of continuous aeropalynological survey of the atmosphere at Bangalore carried out for the past six years. The aeropalynological survey was conducted by trapping airborne bioparticles such as pollen and fungal spores by operating vertical cylinder pollen traps. The traps were installed at different ecogeographical sites in Bangalore City. The results of qualitative and quantitative analysis of the atmospheric biopollutants are correlated with the meteorological parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and cloud cover. It is seen that generally the higher temperature and lower relative humidity enhance the liberation and distribution of pollen in the atmosphere; whereas the higher humidity and lower temperatures trigger the liberation and distribution of fungal spores in the atmosphere. Atmospheric pollen count is drastically reduced during the rainfall.