Hans-Guido Mücke

Klimawandel und Pollenallergie: Städte und Kommunen sollten bei der Bepflanzung des öffentlichen Raums Rücksicht auf Pollenallergiker nehmen

ZusammenfassungDer Klimawandel führt zu Veränderungen im Pollenflug. Besonders betroffen sind davon die Pollen von Haselnuss, Erle und Birke, die früher und tendenziell in höheren Konzentrationen auftreten. Dieser Trend wird durch die Neuanpflanzung von Birken in Städten gefördert.Bisher gibt es in Deutschland keine Empfehlung zur Neupflanzung von Bäumen im öffentlichen Raum, die Rücksicht auf die Belange von Pollenallergikern nimmt. Vorgelegt wird ein Vorschlag, welche Baumsorten bei Anpflanzungen in Städten zu vermeiden sind, um einer weiteren Erhöhung der Menge an Baumpollen vorzubeugen. Beigefügt ist auch eine Auflistung allergologisch unbedenklicher Baumsorten, die zur Anpflanzung geeignet sind.SummaryClimate change leads to changes in pollen flight. The pollen of hazelnut, alder and birch in particular tend to appear earlier and in higher concentrations. This trend is promoted by the plantation of new birches in town.Until now, there is no recommendation in Germany regarding the new plantation of trees in public spaces that takes into account the needs of pollen allergy sufferers. A proposal which trees to avoid in plantations in cities to prevent the further increase of tree pollen is presented. Also attached is a list of allergologically safe trees that are suitable for cultivation.

Intradiurnal patterns of allergenic airborne pollen near a city motorway in Berlin, Germany

In this study, the seasonally averaged intradiurnal patterns of four different pollen types (Fraxinus, Betula, Poaceae and Artemisia) and the role of traffic volume, air pollution and selected weather parameters were investigated. Measurements were carried out with a 7-day recording volumetric spore trap (Hirst type) near a congested city motorway (the A 100) in Berlin, Germany, in 2012, 2013 and partly 2011. Both Poaceae and Artemisia pollen showed distinct patterns which were similar across the years. The main period of grass pollen concentrations in the air was from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. with peaks about midday or in the afternoon. Mugwort pollen mainly occurred between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. with a clear maximum from 8 to 10 a.m. With regard to Fraxinus and Betula pollen, the patterns were not as clear and showed differences throughout the years. The intradiurnal patterns of traffic volume and pollen load, mainly of Poaceae in the afternoon and Artemisia in the morning, were partly coincident. The combination of both a high pollen count and air pollution, due to exhaust emissions, represents a special health threat which could result in a double burden for allergy sufferers. In the case of the daily means of Betula and Poaceae, relative humidity had a significantly negative effect on pollen concentrations on the same and/or next day/s, sunshine duration (Poaceae) and air temperature (Artemisia) a positive one.

Spatial distribution of allergenic pollen through a large metropolitan area

For nearly a decade, the majority of the world’s population has been living in cities, including a considerable percentage of people suffering from pollen allergy. The increasing concentration of people in cities results in larger populations being exposed to allergenic pollen at the same time. There is almost no information about spatial distribution of pollen within cities as well as a lack of information about the possible impact to human health. To obtain this increasing need for pollen exposure studies on an intra-urban scale, a novelty screening network of 14 weekly changed pollen traps was established within a large metropolitan area—Berlin, Germany. Gravimetric pollen traps were placed at a uniform street-level height from March until October 2014. Three important allergenic pollen types for Central Europe—birch (Betula), grasses (Poaceae), and mugwort (Artemisia)—were monitored. Remarkable spatial and temporal variations of pollen sedimentation within the city and the influences by urban local sources are shown. The observed differences between the trap with the overall highest and the trap with the overall lowest amount of pollen sedimentation were in the case of birch pollen 245%, grass pollen 306%, and mugwort pollen 1962%. Differences of this magnitude can probably lead to different health impacts on allergy sufferers in one city. Therefore, pollen should be monitored preferably in two or more appropriate locations within large cities and as a part of natural air quality regulations.

Potential health risk of allergenic pollen with climate change associated spreading capacity: Ragweed and olive sensitization in two German federal states.

BACKGROUND Global climate changes may influence the geographical spread of allergenic plants thus causing new allergen challenges. OBJECTIVE Allergy patients from two German federal states were compared for their status quo sensitization to ragweed, an establishing allergen, olive, a non-established allergen, and the native allergens birch, mugwort, and ash. METHODS Between 2011 and 2013, 476 adult allergy patients per region were recruited. Patients completed a questionnaire, participated in a medical interview, and underwent skin prick testing and blood withdrawal for analysis of specific IgE to allergen components (ISAC technology). Data on regional pollen load from 2006 to 2011 were acquired from the German Pollen Information Service Foundation. RESULTS Prick test reactivity to ragweed and ash, respectively, was lower in Bavaria than in NRW (ragweed: p=0.001, aOR=0.54; ash: p=0.001, aOR=0.59), whereas prick test reactivity to olive was higher (p=0.000, aOR=3.09). Prick test reactivity to birch and mugwort, respectively, did not significantly differ. 1% (1/127) of patients with prick test reactivity to ragweed showed sIgE to Amb a 1, and 65% (86/132) of olive-but-not-ash reactive patients showed sIgE to Ole e 1 (NRW: 67%, Bavaria: 65%; p=0.823, OR=0.91). Regional differences in sensitization pattern were neither explainable by cross-reactivity to pollen pan-allergens nor non-exposure variables nor by reported plant population or pollen data. CONCLUSIONS Spread of ragweed and particularly olive may result in prompt occurrence of allergic symptoms. Early identification of invasive allergens due to climate change does need time and spatial close meshed measurement of respective indicator allergens and sensitization pattern.

Verteilung von Pollen und Feinstaub in einem städtischen Ballungsraum am Beispiel der Großstadt Berlin

ZusammenfassungHintergrund:Die Studie beinhaltet Erkenntnisse zur Verteilung von Pollen und Feinstaub (Partikel < 10 μm; PM10) und deren möglicher Zusammenhang in einem großstädtischen Ballungsraum am Beispiel von Berlin.Methoden:Im Mai und Juni 2011 wurden im Stadtgebiet für sechs Wochen parallele Messungen des Pollen- und PM10-Gehalts der Luft an drei verschiedenen Standorten mit unterschiedlichen Umgebungssituationen (innerstädtisch, vorstädtisch, verkehrsreich) durchgeführt.Ergebnisse:Sowohl für die Gräserpollen als auch für den Feinstaub wurden die höchsten Konzentrationen an dem verkehrsreichen Standort registriert. An allen Messstationen erreichten die Gräserpollenkonzentrationen an einigen Tagen die zur Auslösung allergischer Symptome erforderlichen Grenzwerte. Zwischen den Stationen ergaben sich für die Pollen- wie auch für die PM10-Konzentrationen gute Korrelationen. Ebenso konnte ein positiver Zusammenhang der jeweiligen Aufkommen mit den Tagesmaximaltemperaturen festgestellt werden. Schlussfolgerung: Die Konzentrationen von Gräserpollen an verschiedenen Plätzen innerhalb einer Stadt zeigen eine positive Korrelation, sie ist am höchsten an einem verkehrsreichen Standort. Höhere Temperaturen sind mit höheren Gräserpollenkonzentrationen verbunden.AbstractBackground:The study shows the findings concerning the distribution of pollen and particulate matter (particles < 10 μm; PM10) within an urban agglomeration using the example of Berlin.Methods:Parallel measurements of pollen and PM10 in the air were carried out during six weeks at three monitoring sites in the city with different environment (inner-city park, suburban, traffic) in May/June 2011.Results:Both grass pollen and PM10 reached their highest concentrations at the traffic hot spot. For some days at all monitoring sites grass pollen concentrations reached the threshold values that are required to initiate allergenic symptoms. For both pollen and PM10 concentrations good correlations were found between the sites. Moreover, it could be determined a positive correlation between these concentrations and daily maximum temperatures. Conclusion: Grass pollen counts show positive correlations between different places in a city with highest concentrations near to a a traffic hot spot. Higher temperatures correlate with higher grass pollen counts.

The distribution of pollen and particulate matter in an urban agglomeration using the city of Berlin as an example

ZusammenfassungHintergrund:Die Studie beinhaltet Erkenntnisse zur Verteilung von Pollen und Feinstaub (Partikel < 10 μm; PM10) und deren möglicher Zusammenhang in einem großstädtischen Ballungsraum am Beispiel von Berlin.Methoden:Im Mai und Juni 2011 wurden im Stadtgebiet für sechs Wochen parallele Messungen des Pollen- und PM10-Gehalts der Luft an drei verschiedenen Standorten mit unterschiedlichen Umgebungssituationen (innerstädtisch, vorstädtisch, verkehrsreich) durchgeführt.Ergebnisse:Sowohl für die Gräserpollen als auch für den Feinstaub wurden die höchsten Konzentrationen an dem verkehrsreichen Standort registriert. An allen Messstationen erreichten die Gräserpollenkonzentrationen an einigen Tagen die zur Auslösung allergischer Symptome erforderlichen Grenzwerte. Zwischen den Stationen ergaben sich für die Pollen- wie auch für die PM10-Konzentrationen gute Korrelationen. Ebenso konnte ein positiver Zusammenhang der jeweiligen Aufkommen mit den Tagesmaximaltemperaturen festgestellt werden.Schlussfolgerung:Die Konzentrationen von Gräserpollen an verschiedenen Plätzen innerhalb einer Stadt zeigen eine positive Korrelation, sie ist am höchsten an einem verkehrsreichen Standort. Höhere Temperaturen sind mit höheren Gräserpollenkonzentrationen verbunden.SummaryBackground:The study shows the findings concerning the distribution of pollen and particulate matter (particles < 10 μm; PM10) within an urban agglomeration, using the example of the city of Berlin as an example.Methods:Parallel measurements of pollen and PM10 in the air were carried out overduring six 6 weeks at three mon-itoring sites in the city with different environments (inner-city park, suburban, heavily trafficked) in May/June 2011.Results:Both grass pollen and PM10 reached their highest concentrations at the traffic hot spot. For some days, at all monitoring sites grass pollen concentrations at all monitoring sites reached the threshold values that are required to initiate allergenic symptoms. For both pollen and PM10 concentrations good correlations were found between the sites. Moreover, it could be determined a positive correlation between these concentrations and daily maximum temperatures.Conclusion:Grass pollen counts show positive correlations between different places in a city with the highest con-centrations near to a a traffic hot spot. Higher temperatures correlate with higher grass pollen counts.

Air quality management in the WHO European Region — Results of a quality assurance and control programme on air quality monitoring (1994–2004)

Since the last decade the WHO Collaborating Centre for Air Quality Management and Air Pollution Control, Berlin, Germany, operates a quality assurance and control (QA/QC) programme on air quality monitoring in the WHO European Region. As main activity Intercomparison workshops have been established for air monitoring network laboratories on a regular basis to harmonise air quality measurements, analysis and calibration techniques. 36 air hygiene laboratories of public health and environmental institutions of 24 countries participated in twelve Intercomparisons between 1994 and 2004. The majority was carried out for NO, NO(2), SO(2) and O(3). The results were predominantly satisfactory for automatic methods. The results of manual methods were mainly in a good, and for several concentration levels partly very good accordance with the data obtained by the monitors.

Spatial distribution of pollen-induced symptoms within a large metropolitan area—Berlin, Germany

Large spatial differences in the distribution of three allergologically relevant pollen types for Central Europe—birch, grass, and mugwort—are revealed within a large metropolitan area—Berlin, Germany. The purpose of the study is an examination of the hypothesis that these different pollen exposure conditions can cause different degrees of pollen-induced symptoms within the city. Pollen data from 14 gravimetric traps and one volumetric trap in Berlin and anonymously reported pollen-induced symptom data from the online-based self-documentation tool “Patient’s Hayfever Diary” (PHD) are used for the analysis of temporal and spatial variations of the severity of the overall total symptoms. Geographically localised symptom data are linked to the nearest pollen trap. Statistical analysis is performed using Kendall’s Tau-b. Higher amounts of monitored birch and grass pollen in the peripheral areas of Berlin induce stronger symptoms in PHD users located within suburbs than those located in the city centre. There is no statistical relationship between the varying presence of mugwort pollen in the air and the severity of symptoms. Spatial differences in the pollen-induced symptom severity within a large city coinciding with spatial differences in birch and grass pollen depositions are shown for the first time. Therefore, pollen data from a single trap may not provide an appropriate explanation for differences in pollen-induced symptoms across the city. More detailed and reliable information about the exposure to allergenic pollen can be addressed by installing further traps in order to improve the knowledge about pollen exposure within cities.

Two-hours-average values of grass pollen

o en before the onset of local owering but long-transported pollen may also coincide with local pollen season. A model for long-distance transport of pollen, created by e Finnish Meteorological Institute, has been piloted as a tool in birch pollen forecasting in Finland in 2012 and 2013. e model has been applied for grass, olive and ragweed pollen as well. It aims to predict the progress of owering and the transport of pollen in air currents. It appears that the model predicts well the onset of local owering as well as the direction of air currents. However, pollen levels are overestimated in a year of weak owering. An opposite outcome of the model was noticed during the abundant birch owering of 2012. Fine-tuning of the model obviously needs to be done before pollen forecasts.