ANALYSIS OF ATMOSPHERIC POLLEN GRAINS IN DURSUNBEY (BALIKESİR), TURKEY

• Published in: Trakya University journal of natural sciences Vol. 19; no. 2; pp. 137 - 146
• Main Authors: Akyalcin, Hanife, Tosunoglu, Aycan, Bicakci, Adem
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Trakya University 15-10-2018
• Subjects: allergy; atmospheric monitoring; gravimetric method; pollen calendar; pollen fall
• ISSN: 2528-9691; 2528-9691
• DOI: 10.23902/trkjnat.402912

In this study, airborne pollen grains in the
atmosphere of Dursunbey (Balıkesir, Turkey) were collected using a gravimetric
method. The pollen grains were investigated by light microscopy and a total of
6265 pollen grains per cm2 were counted. 42 different pollen types
were identified of which 24 belonged to
the arboreal plants (86.17% of the annual pollen index) and 18 to non-arboreal
plants (13.16% of the annual pollen index). A small portion of the pollens (42
grains, 0.67%) were not identified. The most frequent pollen types, which
constituted more than 1% of annual pollen count were regarded as the
predominating pollen types for the region. The predominating group was
determined to be consisted of pollens of Pinus L. (48.23%), Cupressaceae Rich. ex Bartl./Taxaceae Gray
(16.74%), Poaceae Barnhart (8.32%), Quercus L.(5.31%), Acer L. (4.07%), Platanus L.
(3.10%), Juglans L. (2.26%), Abies Mill. (1.75%), Plantago
L. (1.25%), Amaranthaceae Juss. (1.22%) and Olea europaea L. (1.16%).
The highest pollen count was determined in May and it is striking that most of
the determined predominant pollen types have previously been reported as main
causes of pollinosis.