Aeromycological Survey Of Pimpri-Chinchwad Area, Pune

Abstract

Airborne particles of biological origin are mainly consisting of fungal spores, pollen, bacteria, viruses, algal filaments, epidermal hairs, plant fragments etc.  Fungi are among the most important aero-allergens. Fungal spores constitute a significant fraction of air-borne particles. Extramural aerobiological research includes aeromicrobial survey at various places like College campus, Bus stand, Railway station, Garbage depot, crop fields etc.

The present study was carried out for a period of two years (2010-2012) to identify culturable fungi in urban environment and to study the variation in their concentration at four different sites.  In the vegetable markets of metropolitan cities, rotten vegetables and fruits, gunny bags, paper bags, packing materials, straw, discarded leaves and stems forms the main substrates for the growth of airborne fungi. Hence petriplate exposure experiments were conducted in Pimpri vegetable market nearby slum for the afore-said period.

Volumetric information on the culturable molds present in the air of different sites was collected by exposing petriplates at four different sites in study area. Not all genera recorded on the cellotape were found growing on culture plates but only 26 culturable genera were recorded. The genera such as Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Trichoderma were precisely identified by their cultures.The maximum contributor of the aerospora in 2010-2012 was Cladosporium sp.1 with 8.79% contribution followed by Aspergillus sp.1 (6.15%) and Helminthosporium (5.79%). In second year, Cladosporium with 6.58% contribution tops the rank and it was followed by Helminthosporium (5.38), Aspergillus sp.1.(4.90) and Alternaria sp. 1with 4.47% contribution.