Characteristics of atmospheric fungi in particle growth events along with new particle formation in the central North China Plain

Nana Luo, Wenzhong Shi, Chen Liang, Zhengqiang Li, Haofei Wang, Wenji Zhao, Yingjie Zhang, Yuying Wang, Zhanqing Li, Xing Yan

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The importance of fungi as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and ice-forming nuclei (IN) has been recognized for some researches. Particle growth along with new particle formation (NPF) play a joint role in modulating the CCN number concentration. Although fungi can accelerate the coalescence by large particles, the specific contribution and characteristics of atmospheric fungi for particle growth, especially during NPF events, is poorly understood. In this study, aerosol size distribution data and air samples were collected at Xingtai, a suburban site in the central North China Plain, from 1 May to 1 June 2016. Using DNA sequence-based methods, atmospheric fungal communities were identified and quantified. Significant differences in fungal communities between particle growth events along with new particle formation (PGE-NPF) and non-PGE-NPF events are found, especially for the Ascomycota and Basidiomycota phyla, and the Dothideomycetes, Saccharomycetes, and Tremellomycetes classes. At the genus level, five fungal communities were significantly different under PGE-NPF and non-PGE-NPF conditions, i.e., the Cladosporium, Capnodiales, Mrakia, Saccharomycetales and Trichocomaceae genera. The air mass source not only had an impact on NPF and the particle growth process, but also on the characteristics of the fungal communities. The fungal genus communities of Cladosporium, Capnodiales, Trichocomaceae, Mrakia, and Saccharomycetales may contribute to NPF and the particle growth process.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)389-398
Number of pages10
JournalScience of the Total Environment
Volume683
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Sept 2019

Keywords

  • Aerosol
  • Air samples
  • Fungi
  • New particle formation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Environmental Engineering
  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Waste Management and Disposal
  • Pollution

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