The Origin And Spread Of Airborne Bacteria
Abstract
The presence of bacteria in clouds may affect their radiation and precipitation properties as some species are able to catalyse the freezing of water at high temperatures (-2C to -10C). Where cloud-borne bacteria originate and the distances they are able to travel in the air remains a mystery. In this study we have attempted to address these issues by comparing metagenomic DNA sequences from air samples with those from other environmental sources. Air samples were collected on 1 July 2009 from a hill top at Thursley Nature Reserve in Surrey, United Kingdom, a rural site, 31 miles from the nearest stretch of coastline, and on 6 July 2009 from the top of a six storey building in Stratford on the East end of London, 38 miles from the nearest coastal area. Samples were collected using the Karcher DS5500 vacuum into a liquid filled collection vessel at an air flow rate of 3.3 m3 min-1 over a 4 hour period. Samples were then concentrated and the bacterial content was investigated by PCR, cloning and sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. During the collection period on 1 July the Royston Weather Station in the South East of England recorded wind speed of 1.9 miles/hour in an Easterly direction, with no cloud cover, relative humidity of 74% and atmospheric pressure of 1021.6 mB. On 6 July wind speed was 9.8 miles/hour in a South Westerly direction, there was light cloud cover, relative humidity was 73.8% and atmospheric pressure was 1002.8 mB. Twenty cloned 16S PCR products from each air sample were sequenced. The species identification of each clone is shown in Table 1. The diversity of bacteria found at both sites was similar, with Stenotrophomona and Pedobacteria species dominating both samples. When the DNA sequences were blasted against the environmental samples database, all sequences were found to display greatest homology to metagenomic DNA from marine sources. This may suggest that the most numerous bacteria in air samples originate in the oceans. Taking account of the wind speed and direction, marine organisms would have been airborne for at least 16 hours in the Thursley sample and for at least 4 hours in the East London sample. The origin and spread of airborne organisms warrants further investigation.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2009
- Bibcode:
- 2009AGUFM.A11B0092H
- Keywords:
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- 0305 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE / Aerosols and particles;
- 0410 BIOGEOSCIENCES / Biodiversity;
- 3311 ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSES / Clouds and aerosols;
- 3399 ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSES / General or miscellaneous