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Atmospheric particulate matter adhesion onto pollen: a review

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Abstract

From anther dehiscence to its atmospheric journey, airborne pollen grains can come into contact with other particulate matter (PM) and the external wall of pollen grains can be polluted by adhered atmospheric particles. Pollen and PM are some of the most common asthma triggers. The aim of this review was to discuss literature reporting pollen–particle complexes in the outdoor environment so their potential role in enhancing the risk of allergy could be examined. Twenty-five studies report pollen–particle complexes observed in outdoor conditions. PM adhesion onto the pollen surface was investigated in the literature by three different experimental approaches: direct collection from anthers, bulk exposure of pollen to PM in polluted areas, and direct sampling of airborne pollen during pollination. Four processes are proposed to explain deposition of PM on the surface of pollen grains: sticking of particles to anthers and pollen during dehiscence, airborne pollen-particles coagulation, wet and dry scavenging of pollen and particles, and co-deposition of PM and pollen in the respiratory system. Despite potential adverse health effects, the magnitude of pollution of pollen by PM is poorly understood. To address this issue, we suggest the following guidelines for research: (1) Possible artifacts during sampling and handling of anthers must be carefully avoided; (2) Control pollen grains (i.e. non-polluted) should be carefully selected; (3) A better knowledge of pollen atmospheric deposition and resuspension is needed; (4) The health effects of pollen-particles complexes need more attention regarding symptoms and allergic sensitization; (5) Use of individual pollen samplers could give a depiction of the degree of pollution of pollen that is actually inhaled.

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Acknowledgements

MC and NV thank the Université de Lille and the Institut de Recherches Pluridisciplinaires en Sciences de l’Environnement (IREPSE Fed 4129) for financial support. The CaPPA project (Chemical and Physical Properties of the Atmosphere) is funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR) through the PIA (Programme d’Investissement d’Avenir) under contract ANR-11-LABX-005-01. This work is a contribution to the CPER research project CLIMIBIO. The authors thank the French Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche, the Hauts de France Region and the European Funds for Regional Economical Development for their financial support to this project.

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  1. Nicolas Visez and Anastasia Ivanovsky contributed equally to the work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8522 - PC2A - Physicochimie des Processus de Combustion et de l’Atmosphère, 59000, Lille, France

    Nicolas Visez & Sylvie Gosselin

  2. Association pour la Prévention de la Pollution Atmosphérique, Parc Eurasanté, 235 avenue de la Recherche, 59120, Loos, France

    Nicolas Visez

  3. Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8516 - LASIR - Laboratoire de Spectrochimie Infrarouge et Raman, 59000, Lille, France

    Anastasia Ivanovsky, Antoine Roose & Marie Choël

  4. Biochemistry Department, Allergy & Environment, Armand-Trousseau Children Hospital, APHP, Paris, France

    Hélène Sénéchal

  5. Resources and Technological Research Center, Pasteur Institute, Paris, France

    Pascal Poncet

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  1. Nicolas Visez
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  2. Anastasia Ivanovsky
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Visez, N., Ivanovsky, A., Roose, A. et al. Atmospheric particulate matter adhesion onto pollen: a review. Aerobiologia 36, 49–62 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-019-09616-9

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