[Perspectives on synergic biological effects induced by ambient allergenic pollen and urban fine/ultrafine particulate matters in atmosphere]

Abstract

Ambient particulate matters (PM) and allergenic pollens in urban atmosphere have taken negative effects on human health and air quality. Studies on synergistic effects between the two pollutants are being focused in disciplines, such as atmospheric sciences, environmental toxicology, and immunology. In this study, physicochemical characterization of airborne fine/ultrafine particles in Shanghai, China and ambient allergenic pollens (cedar) in Kanto, Japan were investigated. We found that allergenic protein particles (Ubisch body) with diameter less than 0.7 microm were absorbed on Japanese cedar pollen, and airborne particles which contained allergenic particles mainly distributed in < 1 microm size range. The highest mass concentration of chemical elements in Shanghai airborne particles was found in the 0.3-0.18 microm size range, but mass level of pollutant elements, such as S and Pb, in ambient in ultrafine (nano) particles were higher than that in coarse and fine particles. And also, pollen particles were found in Shanghai airborne particles. Synergistic effects between diesel exhaust particles (DEPs), which were the main component in urban airborne particles, and ambient pollens in urban atmosphere can be found, but their mechanism have not been clear. After our new results and other conclusions published recently on allergenic pollen and airborne fine/ultrafine particles were summarized, perspectives of this new discipline were presented.