The inventory of the pollen monitoring networks worldwide: results of the TF-40108 (ig

Abstract

ntroduction:It is expected that about 600 stations for pollen andother biological particles in ambient air exist worldwide (Buters2014). However, currently no comprehensive information on pollenmonitoring sites is available as the map in the“Atlas of allergy”(Buters 2014) is already outdated and/or incomplete. In fact, in manycases no information, limited information, or false information onwho, where, what and how monitoring in ambient air was per-formed. This is a great disadvantage for networking and communityservices purposes. As such, we undertake the task of updating, main-taining and disseminating an inventory of pollen monitoring stationsin the world (task force TF-40108 sponsored by the EAACI).Objectives:The aim of this work is to create an updated inventoryand to provide comprehensive information on the pollen monitoringnetworks worldwide. To document the exact location, personresponsible and their contact information as well as the methodolo-gies and type of data that each station is collecting was our majorgoal.Results:A team formed by working and advisory members definedthe criteria needed to be recorded. We then constructed a databasewith detailed information about the existing national/regional net-works of capture sites in the world. An interactive map with Infor-mation on Pollen Monitoring Sites (POMS) over the World andcontacts were build and will be made available online on the EAACIWebsite, where all the details concerning each site can be easilyaccessed. Currently we have about 745 stations from 53 countriesfrom different continents in the database. Not all countries havemonitoring sites.Conclusions:This will enable quick access to local pollen data andwill greatly facilitate the establishment of collaborations in the fieldof Aerobiology & Pollution. Due to the use of an interactive mapupdates can be easily implemented, as we expect corrections andadditions once we go online