Interactions among Cupressaceae pollen, air pollutants and meteorology in the urban and suburban areas of Beijing, China

Abstract Atmospheric pollutants alter the physicochemical properties of pollen allergens, and raise a high risk of co-exposure to more aeroallergens in the allergic population. It is necessary to reveal the relationships between them and the impacts of meteorology on them both. Herein, synchronous d...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xiaoxin Qin, Yiyin Li, Hongxing Zhang, Wenjun Liu, Xinyi Zhao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98316-1
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850172877794443264
author Xiaoxin Qin
Yiyin Li
Hongxing Zhang
Wenjun Liu
Xinyi Zhao
author_facet Xiaoxin Qin
Yiyin Li
Hongxing Zhang
Wenjun Liu
Xinyi Zhao
author_sort Xiaoxin Qin
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Atmospheric pollutants alter the physicochemical properties of pollen allergens, and raise a high risk of co-exposure to more aeroallergens in the allergic population. It is necessary to reveal the relationships between them and the impacts of meteorology on them both. Herein, synchronous data of aerobiology, pollution and meteorology at the same location are used to investigate the correlation between Cupressaceae pollen (major allergen in Norther China) and atmospheric pollutants, and their association with meteorological factors at different timescales in the urban and suburban areas of Beijing, China. In this research, the correlation between allergenic pollen, air pollutants and meteorological factors may display distinct patterns at daily and hourly timescales. Daily concentration of Cupressaceae pollen was positively correlated with PM2.5 and O3. Hourly pollen concentration exhibited positive correlation with NOx and PM2.5 during high-pollen episodes. Increasing temperature and decreasing relative humidity after sunrise facilitate pollination, causing hourly pollen peak. Temperature exhibited a strong positive correlation with daily and hourly O3 concentrations. Highly humid conditions largely decreased allergenic pollen and O3 concentrations but increased NOx and PM2.5 concentrations. In the urban area, local winds considerably impacting on hourly pollen peaks were associated with high levels of NOx and PM2.5. Concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) results indicated that allergenic pollen and O3 may have some common potential source areas. This research will help us to get a better understanding of the linkage between allergenic pollen and air pollutants, and their dynamics under varying meteorological conditions, and provide effective support on addressing respiratory allergies on the risk of co-exposure for allergenic pollen and air pollutants in the urban and suburban areas of Beijing city.
format Article
id doaj-art-5ef41f1da82a40238e225940bd807ae0
institution OA Journals
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-5ef41f1da82a40238e225940bd807ae02025-08-20T02:19:58ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-0115111510.1038/s41598-025-98316-1Interactions among Cupressaceae pollen, air pollutants and meteorology in the urban and suburban areas of Beijing, ChinaXiaoxin Qin0Yiyin Li1Hongxing Zhang2Wenjun Liu3Xinyi Zhao4Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Eco-Environmental Studies and Low-Carbon Agriculture in Peri-Urban Areas, Zhaoqing UniversityLaboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking UniversityState Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of SciencesMeteorological Bureau of Haidian DistrictLaboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking UniversityAbstract Atmospheric pollutants alter the physicochemical properties of pollen allergens, and raise a high risk of co-exposure to more aeroallergens in the allergic population. It is necessary to reveal the relationships between them and the impacts of meteorology on them both. Herein, synchronous data of aerobiology, pollution and meteorology at the same location are used to investigate the correlation between Cupressaceae pollen (major allergen in Norther China) and atmospheric pollutants, and their association with meteorological factors at different timescales in the urban and suburban areas of Beijing, China. In this research, the correlation between allergenic pollen, air pollutants and meteorological factors may display distinct patterns at daily and hourly timescales. Daily concentration of Cupressaceae pollen was positively correlated with PM2.5 and O3. Hourly pollen concentration exhibited positive correlation with NOx and PM2.5 during high-pollen episodes. Increasing temperature and decreasing relative humidity after sunrise facilitate pollination, causing hourly pollen peak. Temperature exhibited a strong positive correlation with daily and hourly O3 concentrations. Highly humid conditions largely decreased allergenic pollen and O3 concentrations but increased NOx and PM2.5 concentrations. In the urban area, local winds considerably impacting on hourly pollen peaks were associated with high levels of NOx and PM2.5. Concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) results indicated that allergenic pollen and O3 may have some common potential source areas. This research will help us to get a better understanding of the linkage between allergenic pollen and air pollutants, and their dynamics under varying meteorological conditions, and provide effective support on addressing respiratory allergies on the risk of co-exposure for allergenic pollen and air pollutants in the urban and suburban areas of Beijing city.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98316-1Allergenic pollenAir pollutantsMeteorologyUrban ecology
spellingShingle Xiaoxin Qin
Yiyin Li
Hongxing Zhang
Wenjun Liu
Xinyi Zhao
Interactions among Cupressaceae pollen, air pollutants and meteorology in the urban and suburban areas of Beijing, China
Scientific Reports
Allergenic pollen
Air pollutants
Meteorology
Urban ecology
title Interactions among Cupressaceae pollen, air pollutants and meteorology in the urban and suburban areas of Beijing, China
title_full Interactions among Cupressaceae pollen, air pollutants and meteorology in the urban and suburban areas of Beijing, China
title_fullStr Interactions among Cupressaceae pollen, air pollutants and meteorology in the urban and suburban areas of Beijing, China
title_full_unstemmed Interactions among Cupressaceae pollen, air pollutants and meteorology in the urban and suburban areas of Beijing, China
title_short Interactions among Cupressaceae pollen, air pollutants and meteorology in the urban and suburban areas of Beijing, China
title_sort interactions among cupressaceae pollen air pollutants and meteorology in the urban and suburban areas of beijing china
topic Allergenic pollen
Air pollutants
Meteorology
Urban ecology
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98316-1
work_keys_str_mv AT xiaoxinqin interactionsamongcupressaceaepollenairpollutantsandmeteorologyintheurbanandsuburbanareasofbeijingchina
AT yiyinli interactionsamongcupressaceaepollenairpollutantsandmeteorologyintheurbanandsuburbanareasofbeijingchina
AT hongxingzhang interactionsamongcupressaceaepollenairpollutantsandmeteorologyintheurbanandsuburbanareasofbeijingchina
AT wenjunliu interactionsamongcupressaceaepollenairpollutantsandmeteorologyintheurbanandsuburbanareasofbeijingchina
AT xinyizhao interactionsamongcupressaceaepollenairpollutantsandmeteorologyintheurbanandsuburbanareasofbeijingchina