Automatic and real-time pollen monitoring
The presence of suspended particles in the air, whether aeronautical or aerosol, aroused growing interest throughout the 19th century. Some scientists at that time (mainly doctors and pharmacists) already discovered a relationship between the presence of certain bioaerosols and their impact on epidemic diseases.
Countries such as the United Kingdom and France were pioneers since then, developing many of the studies and methodology applied today in aerobiology. Particle measurement techniques were one of the most dynamic issues during the 20th century, with the development of a diverse number of particle sampling devices (Cour, Hirst, Durham, etc.) based on different measurement principles (impact, filtration, precipitation, etc.).
Currently, the standard sampling device is the Hirst collector, designed in 1952. This device is used by all the working groups in the different countries (36) of the EAN (Europan Aeroallergen Network), which have more than 600 stations in countries such as Spain, Portugal, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Russia, etc.
Current methodology.
Currently, the methodology used to obtain the concentrations of different types of pollen and some spores is precisely defined, and the same protocols (or with very few variations) are applied in the different working groups mentioned above.
The measurement protocol is based on several stages:
- Sample collection using a Hirst-type sampler.
- Sample shipping (if applicable) and processing.
- Manual bioaerosol counting.
- Truncating and publishing the results.
Users.
The results obtained, essentially pollen concentrations and other bioaerosols classified by taxa, generate information of enormous value for society in general and for a variety of sectors in particular. For example:
Regional, local, or national health services
Pharmaceutical industry
Regional or national meteorological agencies
Allergy sufferers in general
The information obtained allows for the creation of pollen calendars, the calibration of pollination models (in combination with meteorological information), improved diagnosis of pollinosis, efficient production of medications (antihistamines, decongestants, corticosteroids, stabilizers, etc.), an estimate of the agricultural season, etc.
However, the current methodology presents a series of limitations (mainly related to the delay in obtaining results and the use of human resources), many of which can be solved by an automatic, real-time pollen monitoring system, the SwisensPoleno.
The revolution in the measurement system
As in many disciplines, in the case of aerobiology, the revolution is occurring in two areas:
- Automation of the measurement.
- Obtaining information in real time.
SwisensPoleno technology allows, using optical means, the detection of pollen particles and their classification, in order to then automatically determine their concentrations based on the morphology and biochemical characteristics of each particle.
The observations made by the SwisensPoleno are stored in a local database every few minutes, allowing real-time transmission of pollen grain concentration information to any location with internet access.
Having this critical information available in real time and continuously allows for the generation of alerts and forecasts as events occur. This system creates new opportunities compared to conventional methodology, such as:
- Notifying the sensitive population at the right time.
- Feeding, improving, and calibrating forecasting models (nowcasting and forecasting).
- Managing resources in healthcare services (providing advance warning to the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors).
- Generating valuable information for users with scientific, agricultural, forestry, epidemiological, and other interests.
From the perspective of aerobiology network managers, automatic, real-time sampling with SwisensPoleno units offers the following advantages:
- It eliminates a significant number of personnel hours (no more hours spent preparing and processing the sample, or manually counting pollen grains).
- Maintenance is minimal, as the measurement principle is optical, with no mechanical or moving parts, except for the adjustable air intake fan at 40 liters/minute.
- It requires no consumables or consumables of any kind.
- It allows for validation (a sampler can be added to the process outlet for manual comparison of the measured particles).
- It can assimilate local and regional taxa in a relatively simple manner using the SwisensAtomizer.
Visit the SwisensPoleno device section for more information about the measurement principle.
