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Methods of analysis

Sampling

Each station collects pollen and fungal spores 24h/24h with a “Burkard Volumetric Spore Sampler” unit. The upper part of the sampler rotates, driven by the wind vane. Air is sucked into the sampler through a calibrated slit and is captured on a prepared adhesive tape at a set rate corresponding to the human respiration rate (10 l per minute).

The sampler is located on a roof. This allows to obtain mean data, representative for an area of 20 to 30 km around the station.

Pollen : identification and counts

Identification and pollen counts, captured on the adhesive tape, are done microscopically (enlargement 400x) for an area that is representative of 1 cubic meter of air per day.

Slide from April (birch pollen) seen microscopically

Slide from June (grass pollen) seen microscopically

Slide from July seen microscopically