Introduction to Aerobiology

Aerobiology: The Ecology of the Atmosphere

• Aerobiology studies the ecology of the atmosphere, including bioaerosols and microorganisms.
• If seeds do not have a suitable environment, they do not develop, competing for sunlight.
• The air serves as a crucial medium for the dispersion of bioaerosols and microorganisms.
• Loss of variability, also known as ‘inbreeding’ can be seen with asposporas.

Objectives of This Course

• The educational activities in this course aim to help students:
• Recognize aerobiology's importance historically.
• Analyze the microbial diversity of the atmosphere.
• Identify the main sources of microorganisms in the atmosphere.
• Discuss aerobiology as an interdisciplinary science.

Introduction to Aerobiology

• The atmosphere is a gaseous envelope surrounding Earth composed of essential gases like nitrogen, CO2, and oxygen.
• The atmosphere has divisions with the troposphere as the most biodiverse area.
• Atmosphere layers include: Exosphere, Thermosphere, Mesosphere, Stratosphere, Troposphere.
• Division assignment, assignment: find out what characterizes each of the divisions.
• The loss of variability is impacted by pollution.
• Atmospheric divisions
  • Troposphere (0-6/18km)
  • Stratosphere (6-18/50-60km)
  • Mesosphere (50-60/80-100km)
  • Thermosphere (80-100/380-500km)
  • Exosphere (380-500 km and up)

Air Quality and Aerosols

• Air can condense, disperse, or transport numerous aerosols based on its physicochemical characteristics and contamination level.
• Aerosols affecting air quality include harmful agents, organic particles, viruses, bacteria, fungi, and volatile substances, impacting humans and other living organisms.
• Air quality standards are altered when these aerosols are present.

Definition and Characteristics Aerobiology

• Aerobiology is defined as the study of living organisms transported by air, determining their diversity, analyzing their life modes, and describing suitable recovery procedures.
• Aerobiology studies the transport of organisms in air masses in both outdoor (extramuros) and indoor (intramuros) settings.
• Aerobiology now is interdisciplinary, due to its wide application in fields of knowledge.

Aerobiological Route Studies

• Aerobiology specifically addresses transmission of diseases affecting humans and other species.
• It focuses on agricultural interests (phytopathogens and opportunistic organisms).
• Aerobiological route in organisms in the atmosphere, studies generation, liberation, dispersal, viability, including infection/infestation

Particle behavior

• Aerobiological studies of viruses, fungi, bacteria, and larger agents like aphids and mosquitoes.
• Particle studies include whether or not they determine when to go.
• Aerobiological studies include how long particles are available for reproduction.
• The fate of these particles is deposition depending on weather conditions.
• Route depends on liberation, dispersal and deposition.
• It’s a study of the effects if climatic events on organisms aerobiological/

Air Particulates

• The air is formed of a particulate, suspended in the air that varies in size and form.
• Air particulates are solid particles made of solids and liquids that range in size from 2x10^-4 - 5x10^2 μm.
• The particulate size results in particles classified as small vs gruesa.
• Fine particles are those with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 µm, called PM2.5 (particulate matter).
• Another group aerodynamically revolves around 10µm, or PM10.
• Friction occurs when a particle collides with things in its path.

Characteristics of Biological Particulates

• Biological particulate sizes and shapes vary.
• Size and Shape of Biological Particulates
  • Pollen: 23.4 um
  • Acaro:137 um
  • Unspecified Particulate: 32.8 um

Components of air particles

• Particles move into the air via bioaerosols with droplet of different sizes that vary by diameter.
• Particle Types by Diameter (μm):
  • Humo: 0.0001-0.1
  • Virus: 0.015-0.45
  • Bacteria: 0.3-10.0
  • Spores of fungi: 1.0-100
  • Spores of helechos: 20.0-60.0
  • Granule of pollen: 10.0-100
  • Fragments of plants: >100

The Importance of Particle Size

• Particle size determines its behavior in the atmosphere, less than 0.1 µm remain suspended but are subject to Brownian motion with no constant movement or stability.
• Particles that are between 0.1 and 100 μm are between transient deposition.
• Particles that are up to 100 μm and up rely on the wind and other dispersal.

History Of Aerobiology

• Anaxagoras (400 BC) considered the wind important for dispersing species.
• Hippocrates (400 BC) believed wind spread diseases to humans, animals, and crops.
• Nehemias Grew (1628-1711) created morphological descriptions of pollen. Botannists are interested in plants reproductive structures.
• Micheli (1679-1737) described fungi and their reproductive structures, with this book Nova Platarum.
• Van Helmont (1577-1644) observed some flowers patologically affected the human body. First description of pollen allergies.
• Pierre Miquel (1850-1922) developed the first volumetric collector, performing long-term atmospheric sampling.
• Miquel sampled airborne fungal spores and established seasonal variation parameters.
• Studies by Louis Pasteur in the 19th century disproved spontaneous generation, confirming airborne microorganisms.
• In aerobiology it’s important to be skeptical, or to “see doubt of real existence”.

Timeline of Aerobiology Development

• Anaxagoras: saw the wind, not pollen airborne (500-428 a. C).
• Hippocrates’ “Physician's oath” to attack by seasonal epidemics (460-377 a.C.).
• Dioscorides and Pliny: interested in morphology and vegetable properties.
• Monardi began a role study of stamina in flowers, 15th C.
• Van Helmont described "Rose catar" as allergic reaction to flowers
• Nehemias Crew: described morphology.
• P. A. Micheli detected mold can spread, 1679-1737.
• José Teófilo Koelreuter worked to reproduce plants that insects do not pollinate.
• Bostock introduced "hay fever" for pollen allergy.
• Blackley identified pollen as a "hay fever" reason, in 1837.
• Pierre Miquel developed a volume collector-the beginning os aeorbiology.
• Louis pAsteur made vaccines/discovering microorganisms.
• Blackley: saw how pollen was responsible for reactions to different types of pollen.
• Carlos HIchet: saw that the most toxic substances could be dangerous.
• Fred C Meier: gave the name “Aerobiología” to the field.
• Integrated work group
• Pathirane classiffied all branches within the field.
• European net was created by EAN.
• Central database.