AIRBORNE POLLEN SURVEY OF CENTRAL CALCUTTA, INDIA, IN RELATION TO ALLERGY

A continuous aeropalynological survey at Central Calcutta for two consecutive years (1985-1987) was done by using a Burkard Seven Day Recording Volumetric Spore Trap. A total of 65 pollen taxa was identified of which pollen of Trema orientalis showed a maximum frequency (about 68%) followed by Poaceae and Cyperaceae. A pollen calendar was prepared and seasonal periodicities were recorded. Some entomophilous pollen types (e.g., Delonix regia, Bougainvillea spectabilis) were also observed. The presence of pollen of Pinus, Podocarpus, and Alnus in the air of Calcutta is probably due to long distance transport from Eastern Himalayas where these plants grow. Routine skin tests were performed by using the antigenic extracts of 22 pollen types where grass, Catharanthus roseus, Cocos nucifera, Azadirachta indica, Carica papaya, Albizia lebbek, Shorea robusta, Eucalyptus sp., Terminalia sp., were proved to be allergenically potent.