Identification and Seasonal Distribution of Airborne Fungi in Urban Outdoor Air in an Eastern Black Sea Turkish Town

Authors: MURAT TOPBAŞ, İLKNUR TOSUN, GAMZE ÇAN, NEŞE KAKLIKKAYA, FARUK AYDİN

Abstract: The aim of the present report was to evaluate the prevalent species of airborne fungi in the outdoor environment in the city of Trabzon, Turkey. The area is surrounded by high mountains running parallel to the Black Sea, and has a mostly rainy and temperate climate together with a most varied and widespread flora. Air samples were collected in four seasons by means of the gravitational settling method using petri dishes with SDA culture media. Those fungi colonies that formed after an incubation period of 7-10 days at 25 ºC were determined on the basis of micro and macromorphological features. With respect to seasons, it was found that in Summer Penicillium, Alternaria and Fusarium, in Autumn and Winter Penicillium and in Spring and Summer Alternaria were the most prevalent fungal genera.

Keywords: Airborne fungi, fungal flora, allergen, seasonal distribution

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