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.

Alnus pollen type

CORYLUS pollen type

TAXACEAE/CUPRESSACEAE pollen type

ULMUS pollen type

Tipul polinic ACER

FRAXINUS pollen type

POPULUS pollen type

SALIX pollen type

CARPINUS pollen type

BETULA pollen type

QUERCUS pollen type

Platanus pollen type

PINACEAE pollen type

JUGLANS pollen type

MORUS pollen type

TILIA pollen type

URTICACEAE pollen type

RUMEX pollen type

PLANTAGO pollen type

CHENOPODIACEAE/AMARANTHACEAE pollen type

ARTEMISIA pollen type

POACEAE pollen type

Ambrosia

pollen type

Air pollen index for the year 2008

Air pollen index

for the year 2009

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.

Thank you!