Advanced Air Quality Measurement System for Pollen Allergy Sufferers

Allergenic pollen is in the air from early spring onwards, even before the snow melts and the plants start to bloom. The first pollen reaches Lithuania in air masses from central Europe, and soon emerges from local hazel and alder trees. For many allergy sufferers, spring is both a joyful and an anxious time. Yet scientists at Vilnius University (VU) have found a solution – from now on, Vilnius residents will be able to use an app that helps prevent pollen allergies.

According to Professor Ingrida Šaulienė of the Institute of Regional Development at VU Šiauliai Academy, in addition to particulate matter, nitrogen and carbon dioxide, the clear air around us also contains bioaerosols – particles of biological origin. Bioaerosols are not only bacteria and viruses, but also pollen and spores of microscopic fungi that can cause allergies. Pollen allergies affect both children and adults.

One hypothesis about the circumstances of the disease is that allergies are more likely to affect people who practice excessive hygiene. Professor Šaulienė and her colleagues study bioaerosols not only for the sake of knowledge, but also to be able to apply scientific knowledge to the needs of society. One of the latest examples is the cooperation with Vilnius Municipality – anyone can monitor the concentration of allergenic pollen in the air in real time.

Allergies do not stop when plants finish flowering

Pollen has been on Earth much longer than humans. Its purpose is to transfer the male gametophyte from one plant to another. Plants have several pollination strategies. Some plants form sticky formations and secrete nectar, which is collected by bees. Pollen sticks to the bees and they carry it.

"Another strategy is wind-pollinated plants, which produce billions of pollen grains that are passively transported in the atmosphere by the wind from one plant to another. Such pollen contains specific proteins (known as allergens in health terms) that are normally involved in one of the steps of the reproduction process. Sometimes the pollen is deposited on the mucous membranes of the eyes rather than on the plant, or is inhaled into the nose or mouth. Some people are sensitive to pollen allergens, and as soon as they enter the body, a sudden reaction starts. It usually manifests itself as watery or irritated eyes, nasal congestion or nasal discharge, as the body seems to want to 'flush out' the allergenic substances," says the scientist.

Pollen allergy affects around 5% of the Lithuanian population, so for others it may seem like a minor issue. This could be denied by those who experience this allergy.

"These people have difficulty sleeping and working, they have headaches, runny noses and watery eyes. These effects disappear within 2–3 weeks and last as long as pollen is shed by the plants. Knowledge of the flowering period, or more specifically the pollen shedding period, allows you to avoid these allergies. When you know that pollen concentrations are high, you can try to avoid "encountering" pollen by keeping your windows closed, wearing glasses, a hat and a mask when you are outdoors," advises Professor Šaulienė.

For a long time, simple observation has been relied upon, thinking that pollen is in the air when we see flowering plants around us. The time it takes for even the same species of plant to flower depends on many factors, she says.

"In the city, plants flower earlier than in the forest, in southern Lithuania up to a few weeks earlier than in the northern part of the country, and so on," says the professor.

Although it takes a few days for a particular plant to flower, pollen from that type of plant usually remains in the air for up to 2 months. The pollen from wind-pollinated plants is light and is carried quite a distance by the wind, so people can be sensitized for much longer periods.

"Pollen is present in the air even when plants are flowering outside our country. For example, there is still snow in Lithuania, but there may already be alder pollen in the air brought from Germany, in cloud structures or in air masses," says Professor Šaulienė.

App developed by VU scientists helps prevent pollen allergies

Bioaerosols can be studied from different perspectives. As pollen travels up to 6,000 kilometres, scientists analyze the data to study plant diversity or use data from multiple years to assess climate change. Pollen is important in the physical processes of the atmosphere, for example in the formation of clouds or the formation of ice nuclei in the air. Professor Šaulienė and her colleagues are studying the properties and allergenic effects of pollen. This research does not come without an interdisciplinary team and international collaboration.

"We have been monitoring airborne pollen for almost 20 years. We immediately started working with international partners, because at that time there were no similar studies in Lithuania. We have joined forces with meteorologists, environmental physicists and medical experts to publish information on the allergenic pollen load in Lithuania. During this time, the variety of monitoring instruments has evolved and research is no longer possible without IT specialists. At the beginning we learnt from others, and today we are one of the leading research groups in Europe and we are happy to share our experience with our international colleagues," says Professor Šaulienė.

Professor Šaulienė gathered an international team of scientists and took part in the Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service initiative to use some of the Earth data collected by the Copernicus programme for public purposes.

"Our research team suggested linking the Copernicus data to pollen measurements in Lithuania and using it to predict allergy risks. We have developed a specific model and made it accessible to all interested parties through the Personal Allergy Symptom Forecasting System (Pasyfo)," says the researcher.

With Pasyfo, everyone can get this forecast. The system offers two options: general allergy risk and personalized allergy risk prediction. In the first case, you can install the Pasyfo app on your mobile device or simply use the website version. In addition to downloading the app, those who want to receive personally generated information on the health risks caused by pollen should also sign up for the app's built-in diary.

"By providing brief daily information about nasal, eye and lung symptoms, a person can get a forecast of allergy risk for the next three days and successfully plan his/her time outdoors," says Professor Šaulienė.

Plant flowering calendars are often published in newspapers and pollen information is also available on weather apps. But this information is inaccurate or updated too infrequently. The app, developed by VU researchers, stands out because it provides information based on research-based data, original measurements and a unique symptom prediction model.

"In 2018, when this app was developed, it was a completely new idea. Today, the Pasyfo app has been downloaded more than 15 000 times. We are currently discussing a new project so that in the next few years Pasyfo tools are available not only in Lithuania, but also in other European countries," says the professor.

Real-time pollen concentration data in Vilnius available to everyone

The research group of Professor Šaulienė is actively involved in disseminating its research not only within research groups, but also in sharing data and information with the public. Information on the Pasyfo website or on Facebook, announcements on radio and television, cooperation with the Centre for Health Education and Disease Prevention and the Vilnius City Municipality Public Health Office and other stakeholders have become part of her responsibilities.

"It is particularly rewarding that we are not only listened to, but also heard. This has led to a common goal with the Vilnius municipality – to inform the public about real-time pollen concentrations", says the scientist.

VU researchers have developed an environment where Vilnius municipal company Vilniaus Plan could provide residents with real-time information on pollen concentrations in the air. This will significantly improve the quality of life of allergy sufferers, and in particular the scheduling of time outdoors. The project website provides real-time pollen concentration data. This demonstrates a progressive approach to public health and information. Even at the European level, real-time data are available in only a few countries. Only Bavaria (Germany), Serbia and Switzerland have such services.

"We are happy that we are helping Vilnius to create a new experience, a new history, which is progressive not only at the European level, but also globally," says Professor Šaulienė.