Aerobiology

Aerobiology

Aerobiology (from Greek ἀήρ, "aēr", "air"; βίος, "bios", "life"; and -λογία, "-logia") is a branch of biology that studies organic particles, such as bacteria, fungal spores, very small insects, pollen grains and viruses, which are passively transported by the air (Spieksma, 1991). Aerobiologists have traditionally been involved in the measurement and reporting of airborne pollen and fungal spores as a service to allergy sufferers (Larsson, 1993).

In 2002, algae and other small water-borne organisms were discovered to inhabit clouds. A large cloud has about as much water as a shallow lake of the same geographic size.

An important medical application of aerobiology is the study of the transmission of airborne diseases. It is known that many bacteria and viruses can be transmitted by spread through the air, possibly within droplets.

Aerobiology is a rapidly developing science, which also involves interactions with engineering and meteorology.

ee also

*aerobiological engineering
*aeroplankton
*back-contamination
*One-Million-Liter Test Sphere, Fort Detrick, Maryland

References

*Larsson, K. A. (1993) Prediction of the pollen season with a cumulated activity method., Grana, 32, 111-114.
*Spieksma, F. T. (1991) Aerobiology in the Nineties: Aerobiology and pollinosis, International Aerobiology Newsletter, 34, 1-5.

External links

* International Association for Aerobiology [http://www.isao.bo.cnr.it/aerobio/iaa/]
* Pan-American Aerobiology Association (PAAA) [http://www.paaa.org/]
* Important publications in Aerobiology


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • aerobiology — [er΄ō bī äl′ə jē] n. the study of microbes, pollutants, etc. that travel through the air aerobiological adj. aerobiologist n …   English World dictionary

  • aerobiology — noun Date: circa 1937 the science dealing with the occurrence, transportation, and effects of airborne materials (as viruses, pollen, or pollutants) • aerobiological adjective …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • aerobiology — n. [Gr. aer, air; bios, life; logos, discourse] The study of aerial organisms …   Dictionary of invertebrate zoology

  • aerobiology — /air oh buy ol euh jee/, n. the study of the dispersion of airborne biological materials, as pollen, spores, microorganisms, or viruses. [1935 40; AERO + BIOLOGY] * * * …   Universalium

  • aerobiology — noun The study of the dispersion of airborne biological materials, as pollen, spores, microorganisms, or viruses …   Wiktionary

  • aerobiology — The study of atmospheric constituents, living and nonliving, of biological significance, e.g., airborne spores, pathogenic bacteria, allergenic substances, pollutants. * * * aero·bi·ol·o·gy .ar ō bī äl ə jē, .er n, pl gies the science dealing… …   Medical dictionary

  • aerobiology — study of airborne organisms Sciences and Studies …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • aerobiology — n. branch of biology which studies organisms and particles which are carried in the air (such as bacteria, spores, etc.) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • aerobiology — noun the study of the aerial transport of microorganisms, spores, seeds, etc …   English new terms dictionary

  • aerobiology — aero·bi·ol·o·gy …   English syllables

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