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Species-Specific Chemical Analysis of Pollen for Source Identification of Atmospheric Aerosol
KEVIN AXELROD, Vera Samburova, Andrey Khlystov, Desert Research Institute
Abstract Number: 223
Working Group: Bioaerosols
Abstract
Biological aerosols, or bioaerosols (aerosols that are biological in origin) are a subject of increasingly intense study in recent years due to their potential impact on atmospheric chemistry. However, information related to chemical composition of bioaerosols is still largely unknown. In our study, we characterized the chemical composition of fresh pollen, one of the most common bioaerosols in the atmosphere that has a significant impact on human health and could also influence climate by providing cloud nuclei. Different pollen species (aspen, corn, pecan, ragweed, eastern cottonwood, paper mulberry, rabbitbrush, bitterbrush, lodgepole pine, and Jeffrey pine) were purchased or collected around the area of Reno, Nevada, USA. Water extracts of these pollens were chemically analyzed, including analysis of saccharide content via GC-MS and free amino acid content via UPLC-MS analysis techniques. The saccharides ß-D-fructose, α-glucose, and β-glucose were found across all ten pollen samples analyzed. In addition, sucrose was found in five samples, while galactose was found in pine species. Analyzed saccharides constituted 3.97-28.54% of total dry weight among samples, while total free amino acids constituted 0.29% to 15.05%. The free amino acid proline was ubiquitous among all analyzed pollen samples. In addition, chemical profiles of surface-deposited aerosol in the pine-dominated Lake Tahoe area correlated most closely with pine pollen than any of the other analyzed pollen species. Our results demonstrate that saccharide and free amino acid profiles of pollen can be used to infer sources of aerosol in the environment.