Aerobiological analysis of Olea europaea L. pollen in different localities of southern Spain

Abstract

Pollen from olive trees (Olea europaea L.) is one of the main airborne allergens of the Mediterranean region. We have performed a comparative analysis of the behaviour of Olea pollen in the atmosphere at different localities in southern Spain with different biogeographic and climatic characteristics. Sampling over several years with Burkard or Lanzoni volumetric collectors was performed in the four cities of Córdoba, Jaén, Málaga and Granada. The pollen season spans primarily April to June, with the heaviest concentrations in May and peak days registering: 3890 grains/m (Córdoba), 6730 grains/m (Jaén), 2819 grains/m (Málaga), and 1884 grains/m (Granada). These quantities make these cities prime centres of seasonal allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma. The main pollen season was defined taking the days registering 95% of the total annual pollen, and by studying the fluctuations between years and seasons in terms of Olea pollen at the different sampling points. Correlation analysis showed that the pollen concentrations on the preceding days, as well as the average accumulated temperature, were the parameters that invariably had significant correlation indices at all sampling points. In addition, the forecast models indicated that these two variables, together with others, predicted a high percentage (up to 80% in Jaén) of the seasonality of this pollen observed in the atmosphere of the different localities studied.