Associations of fungal aerosols, air pollutants, and meteorological factors

The relationships between fungal aerosols and air pollutants/meteorological factors were investigated in the Taipei urban area. In summer, it was observed that geometric mean (GM) concentrations of airborne fungal aerosols were 2,835 CFU m(-3) and 2,651 CFU m(-3) at Kuting and Hsichih stations, respectively. In winter, GM levels of airborne fungi were 1,107 CFU m(-3) and 2,248 CFU m(-3) at Kuting and Hsichih stations, respectively. Moreover, fungal aerosol concentrations were observed to highly depend on weather conditions, and the highest concentration of total colony counts appeared when the temperature was 25-30 degrees C, the RH was 60-70%, and the wind speed was < 1 m s(-1) and from the S-SE wind direction. In addition, total fungal concentrations were negatively correlated with ozone concentrations, and concentration of Cladosporium spp. was positively correlated with hydrocarbons. PM10 were positively correlated with Penicillium and the yeasts in Hsichih station. Our results demonstrated that airborne fungal aerosols are definitely correlated with air pollutants and meteorological factors. The complex dynamic interactions were indicated to occur among bioaerosols, air pollutants, and meteorological factors.