Characteristics of biological particulate matters at urban and rural sites in the North China Plain. (October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shen, Fangxia; Zheng, Yunhao; Niu, Mutong; Zhou, Feng; Wu, Yan; Wang, Junxia; Zhu, Tong; Wu, Yusheng; Wu, Zhijun; Hu, Min; Zhu, Tianle
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 253(2019)
• Page Start: 569
• Page End: 577
• Publication Date: 2019-10
• Subjects: Bioaerosol -- Air pollution -- Health effect -- Endotoxin -- Lung deposition; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.07.033
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: Depending on their concentrations, sizes, and types, particulate matters of biological origins (bioPM) significantly affect human health. However, for different air environments, they are not well characterized and can vary considerably. As an example, we investigated the bioPM differences at an urban (Beijing) site and a rural (Wangdu) site in the North China Plain (NCP) using an online monitoring instrument, an ultraviolet aerodynamic particle sizer (UV-APS), the limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay, and a high-throughput sequencing method. Generally, lower concentrations of viable bioPM (hourly mean: 1.3 × 10 3 ± 1.6 × 10 3 m −3 ) and endotoxin (0.66 ± 0.16 EU/m 3 ) in Beijing were observed compared to viable bioPM (0.79 × 10 5 ± 1.4 × 10 5 m −3 ) and endotoxin (15.1 ± 23.96 EU/m 3 ) at the Wangdu site. The percentage of viable bioPM number concentration in the total PM was 3.1% in Beijing and 6.4% in Wangdu. Approximately 80% of viable bioPM was found to be in the range from 1 to 2.5 μm. Nevertheless, the size distribution patterns for viable bioPM at the Beijing and Wangdu sites differed and were affected by PM pollution, leading to distinct lung deposition profiles. Moreover, the distinct diurnal variations in viable bioPM on clean days were dimmed by the PM pollution at both sites. Distinct bacterial community structures were found in the air from the Beijing and Wangdu sites. The bacterial community in urban Beijing was dominated by genus Lactococcus (49.5%) and Pseudomonas (15.1%), while the rural Wangdu site was dominated by Enterococcus (65%) and Paenibacillus (10%). Human-derived genera, including Myroides, Streptococcus, Propionibacterium, Dietzia, Helcococcus, and Facklamia, were higher in Beijing, suggesting bacterial emission from humans in the urban air environment. Our results show that different air harbors different biological species, and people residing in different environments thus could have very different biological particle exposure. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: The PM of biological origins (bioPM) in urban Beijing and rural Wangdu were compared. Viable bioPM in Beijing peaked around ∼2 μm, while below 2 μm in Wangdu. Particulate air pollution dimmed the diurnal variation of viable bioPM. The airborne bacterial communities showed large disparities between Beijing and Wangdu. Human-derived bacterial genera contributed more to the air of urban Beijing. Abstract : Urban and rural populations are exposed to distinct ambient bioPM communities. Humans themselves play a role in shaping the structure of bioPM in densely populated urban areas.