Air pollutants and aeroallergens interaction

Clinical tests were performed with pollen grains of Datura metel and Cocos nucifera. Both were found to be allergenically potent. The same pollen types were exposed to various concentrations of common gaseous pollutants, namely, SO2 and NOx in a glass chamber for 24, 48 and 72 hours. The gross protein and electrophoretic behaviour of the crude proteins of the pollen grains changed markedly with increase of time and concentration of the relevant gases. Moreover, airborne particulates including those of biological origin were collected from various urban areas of the metropolitan city of Calcutta. The relative distribution of bioparticulates thus collected were quantitatively examined. It is suspected that the natural biopollutants altered their allergenic potentiality with the exposure to various gaseous and chemical pollutants which normally occur in the environment.