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Monitoring and assessment of airborne fungi in Kolkata, India, by viable and non-viable air sampling methods

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Abstract

The composition and variability of airborne fungal spores were studied using two complementary sampling methods in an outdoor environment in Kolkata suburb for 2 years, from November 2002 to October 2004. For monitoring the total fungal spore burden in the air, Burkard 7-day volumetric sampler was used, whereas Andersen two-sage viable sampler was used for isolating the cultivable airborne fungi. Among the 37 fungal spore types identified in the air samples, the predominant ones were Cladosporium, unidentified ascospores, unidentified basidiospores, Aspergilli/Penicilli, Nigrospora, Periconia, Chaetomium, Drechslera, Alternaria, Coprinus, Ganoderma, Pithomyces, and rust spores. Only six fungal spore types (Alternaria, Aspergilli/Penicilli, Cladosporium, Curvularia, Drechslera, and Nigrospora) were recovered in common by the two samplers. For Aspergilli/Penicilli, Drechslera, and Nigrospora, the spore concentration was underestimated in the non-viable sampling method (Burkard sampler). In general, higher spore count was recorded in winter. The highest fungal species variability was observed in early monsoon (June). Relative humidity could significantly predict the seasonal periodicity of the maximum number of airborne spores. The total airborne fungi concentration recorded in the study (15–16 × 103 spores m−3 of air) was lower than the proposed threshold limit value for clinical significance, suggesting apparently no or less airborne-fungi-exposure-related health risk in the sampling area. Cladosporium cladosporioides was recorded beyond the proposed threshold limit value in January 2003 and March 2004; Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus nidulans in winter that might have posed considerable health risk to sensitized individuals.

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported by financial aid from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India [F. No. 9/15 (291)/2003-EMR-I]. The authors acknowledge the scientist-in-charge and staff of the agricultural farm for their immense cooperation, and the Indian Meteorological Centre for providing the meteorological data used in the study. Sincere thanks are due to Mr. C. Chakraborty and Mr. A. Bera for their technical support during air sampling.

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  1. Shaonli Das

    Present address: 338 McCallum Basic Science Building, 1918 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL-35294, USA

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  1. Department of Botany, Bose Institute, 93/1 A.P.C. Road, Kolkata-700009, India

    Shaonli Das & Swati Gupta-Bhattacharya

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  1. Shaonli Das
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  2. Swati Gupta-Bhattacharya
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Correspondence to Shaonli Das or Swati Gupta-Bhattacharya.

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Das, S., Gupta-Bhattacharya, S. Monitoring and assessment of airborne fungi in Kolkata, India, by viable and non-viable air sampling methods. Environ Monit Assess 184, 4671–4684 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2294-1

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