Airborne Fungi Diversity in Dust Transport in Çanakkale on May 17, 2024

Microorganisms are found almost everywhere on Earth, and their diversity in the air is influenced by environmental factors. Dust is transported by wind erosion from arid and semi-arid areas under strong winds. As a result, particles carry the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the sources and roads where the dust is formed. Dust transportation reduces air quality by increasing the particle density in the atmosphere. It can affect the transportation and spread of microorganisms in the air, particularly spores, which can travel thousands of kilometres with dust. Consequently, it can elevate the concentration of mould spores in the air or lead to the dissemination of specific types of mould. There was a significant observation of dust transportation in Türkiye, particularly in May 2024. This study focused on investigating the diversity of mould in the air during the observed dust transportation in Çanakkale on May 17, 2024. The investigation took place in the front garden and backyard of Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Terzioğlu Campus Health Services Vocational School using the gravimetric method. To conduct the investigation, petri dishes containing Dichloran Rose Bengal Chloramphenicol Agar and Dichloran 18% Glycreol Agar media were left open at human breath height for 15 minutes. After 3-5 days of incubation at 25°C, moulds with different colony morphology observed in the Petri dishes were purified by single-point cultivation on Potato Dextrose Agar medium. Subsequently, after 7-14 days of incubation at 25°C and the obtained isolates were identified at the genus level. The study involved collecting 58 isolates from the petri dishes, which were determined to belong to the genera Alternaria, Bipolaris, Cladosporium, Cladophialophora, and Exophiala. Out of these isolates, 32 were found to be sterile hyphae (sterile mycelia). Consequently, if released into the air during dust transportation, these mould species can lead to health issues, especially allergic reactions and respiratory diseases. The presence of allergenic species like Alternaria and Cladosporium can pose increased health risks to sensitive individuals.