The pollator: a personal pollen sampling device

Monitoring techniques for pollen allergy risk assessment

Understanding airborne pollen allergens trends is of great importance for the high prevalence and the socio-economic impact that pollen-related respiratory diseases have on a global scale. Pursuing this aim, aeropalynology evolved as a broad and complex field, that requires multidisciplinary knowledge covering the molecular identity of pollen allergens, the nature of allergen-bearing particles (pollen grains, pollen sub-particles, and small airborne particles), and the distribution of their sources. To estimate the health hazard that urban vegetation and atmospheric pollen concentrations pose to allergic subjects, it is pivotal to develop efficient and rapid monitoring systems and reliable allergic risk indices. Here, we review different pollen allergens monitoring approaches, classifying them into I) vegetation-based, II) pollen-based, and III) allergen-based, and underlining their advantages and limits. Finally, we discuss the outstanding issues and directions for future research that will further clarify our understanding of pollen aeroallergens dynamics and allergen avoidance strategies.

A new portable sampler to monitor pollen at street level in the environment of patients

Allergic rhinitis caused by pollen exposure is one of the most common allergic diseases. Therefore monitoring pollen levels in ambient air is an important tool in research and health care. Most European monitoring stations collect airborne pollen at rooftop levels for measurements in the larger surrounding of the sampling station, and not in the direct environment of sensitized subjects. Here we present the development and evaluation of a portable pollen sampler, called "Pollensniffer", that was designed to collect pollen in the immediate environment of allergic subjects. Validation of the Pollensniffer against the standard volumetric pollen sampler showed for most pollen types high correlations between the number of pollen collected by those two devices (Spearman's Correlation Coefficient > 0.8); the Pollensniffer appeared to collect on average 5.8 times more pollen per hour than the static sampler. Pollen monitoring was performed using this Pollensniffer at street level at 3 different locations in the city of Leiden during 22 weeks in 2017 and 21 weeks in 2018, during three 15-min periods a day and at one day in the week. The results showed that the pollen levels for birch and grass pollen can significantly differ from location to location and per time of day. Furthermore, the Pollensniffer measurements at street level showed that birch and grass pollen grains were detected 1 1/2 and 2-3 weeks, respectively, before detection at rooftop level. The street measurements show that allergic subjects can encounter varying pollen levels throughout the city and that they can be exposed to grass and birch pollen and may experience hay fever symptoms, even before the sampler at rooftop level registers these pollen.

[Perspectives for nationwide pollen monitoring in Germany]

Allergenic pollen are natural, biological airborne particles and the main cause of allergic respiratory diseases. The measurement of allergenic pollen is a required measure in preventive healthcare and indicates changes in the pollen spectrum as to be expected in the context of climate change.The only nationwide pollen measuring network in Germany is operated by the Foundation German Pollen Information Service, however, its continuity and further development (a hybrid system with manual and automated pollen traps) are not financially guaranteed. In the summer of 2017, the interdisciplinary working group "National Pollen Monitoring" was formed to exchange corresponding perspectives for Germany.Between November 2017 and June 2018, the working group met for three days of discussions, each with a different topic. The internal protocols for each meeting served as a basis for the position paper, which the working group used to complete their work.Due to the impact of allergenic pollen on human health and the significance of allergic diseases for the health service, the working group is in favour of the nationwide pollen monitoring being included in the catalogue of government responsibilities, which secure the basic supply of essential goods and public services of general interest.Regarding any possible assigned responsibilities within the governmental framework, different options were discussed. Independent from future responsibilities, co-operation between metrological, medical and scientific facilities is essential for adequate preventive healthcare.