Current Research on Geography, Earth Science and Environment Vol. 3

The present study deals with two objectives. The first objective deals with brief historical events of aerobiology around the world, functions of the International Association for Aerobiology (Wageningen, the Netherlands) and the national aerobiological network, composition of air spora, and sampling methods of the Municipality area. A portable volumetric bioaerosol sampler, Microbio MB1, was used to monitor the air mycoflora by exposing 10 cm diameter petri plates filled with Rose Bengal Chloramphenicol agar fitted in the sampler at a height of 1.5 meters above ground level. The sampler has an air flow rate of 10–100 l/min. and fixed at 100l/min. Culturable air-borne mycoflora varied among six sites, and the maximum (2090 cfu/M³) was recorded from site 6, while the minimum air mycoflora represented by 220 cfu/M³ at site 4. A mean aero mycoflora of 868.33 cfu/M³ was observed in the study. Species diversity of mycoflora varied among sites and was represented by six genera, Cladosporium, Rhodotorula spp (Pink yeast), Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium spp, Rhizopus spp, Trichoderma spp and sterile colony. Exposure of environmental air-borne mycoflora and their risk to human respiratory ailments was discussed in the light of available literature. Mitigation of roadside pollution by planting native, non-allergenic, non-poisonous plants has been suggested for Siliguri Town.The present study deals with two objectives. The first objective deals with brief historical events of aerobiology around the world, functions of the International Association for Aerobiology (Wageningen, the Netherlands) and the national aerobiological network, composition of air spora, and sampling methods of the Municipality area. A portable volumetric bioaerosol sampler, Microbio MB1, was used to monitor the air mycoflora by exposing 10 cm diameter petri plates filled with Rose Bengal Chloramphenicol agar fitted in the sampler at a height of 1.5 meters above ground level. The sampler has an air flow rate of 10–100 l/min. and fixed at 100l/min. Culturable air-borne mycoflora varied among six sites, and the maximum (2090 cfu/M³) was recorded from site 6, while the minimum air mycoflora represented by 220 cfu/M³ at site 4. A mean aero mycoflora of 868.33 cfu/M³ was observed in the study. Species diversity of mycoflora varied among sites and was represented by six genera, Cladosporium, Rhodotorula spp (Pink yeast), Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium spp, Rhizopus spp, Trichoderma spp and sterile colony. Exposure of environmental air-borne mycoflora and their risk to human respiratory ailments was discussed in the light of available literature. Mitigation of roadside pollution by planting native, non-allergenic, non-poisonous plants has been suggested for Siliguri Town.