Pollen concentrations of some plants in the air over Olszanica (Bieszczady Niskie Mountains) and Wrocław in the 2008 season

Abstract

This paper presents the results of an analysis of pollen season patterns for taxa which show the strongest allergenic activity (alder, birch, grasses, and mugwort) in 2008 in the air over Wrocław and Olszanica. The study was carried out using the volumetric method (Burkard trap). The results show variation in pollen seasons between the analyzed localities. An attempt was made to find out in which of the sites in question - the urban site or the rural one - there was a greater risk of allergens of the selected plants. The results of the present study show that the alder, birch and grass pollen seasons in 2008 started and ended earlier in Wrocław, and maximum pollen concentrations were definitely lower. But the mugwort pollen season started earlier and ended much later in Olszanica, while maximum pollen concentration of this taxon was more than twice lower than in Wrocław. In 2008 in the investigated localities, the highest pollen concentrations of the plants in question occurred in the following months: alder in February, birch in April, grasses in June, while mugwort in August. In 2008 alder and birch pollen allergen risk was comparable in the investigated urban and rural environment. However, grass and mugwort pollen allergens posed a significantly greater threat in the rural environment than in Wrocław.