Common Road Tree Pollen Grain Contents and Their Cause on Allergy

Abstract

Background: Air pollution beside climatic conditions have severe effect on pollen grains collected from different plant species. Outdoor allergens are an important cause of allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis and asthma, especially pollen grains and fungal spores being the major outdoor allergens that induce symptoms in atopic patients. Specific airborne pollen grain types, especially those collected from anemophillous plants, trigger respiratory allergy symptoms in sensitive individuals and cause immunity disorders. This work aims to investigate the effect of eight road trees commonly planted in Alexandria city streets by analyzing the protein contents and some element contents as an allergy inducing particles. Eight road tree species were chosen for this investigation. The chosen trees are Bauhinia galpinii, B.variegata, Casia javanica, Parkinsonia aculeate, Peltophorum roxburghii, Delonix regii, Croton cotinifolia, and Jacaranda mimosifolia. The pollen grains have been gathered during the period of July till November 2019, acetolyzed and described, meanwhile non-acetolyzed pollen grains have been sputtered on Aluminum stubs and coated with Gold for SEM examination and photographs. Pollen grains have been smeared onto glass slides, stained and photographed for protein contents evaluations. Mineral contents have been estimated using X-ray analyses. The results obtained revealed that allergic symptoms appeared in response to the density, dispersion and protrusions of the pollen grains in combination with the degree of pollution and climatic conditions. Meanwhile, the high protein contents, C, S and K can induce breath disorders.

Conclusion: From the present study Delonix regia and Parkensonia aculeata are the most responsible road trees which stimulate the human immune system, as they have small size pollen grain and high contents of C, S and K. As well as the results obtained indicated that many factors inducing allergic diseases and affect the immune system as environmental conditions include climate change, temperature, humidity, air pollution and loss of biodiversity.