HR: 0830h
AN: B21F-0775    [PDF]
TI: Airborne Fungi in Sahara Dust Aerosols Reaching the Eastern Caribbean: I. Taxonomic Characterization by Morphological Features
AU: * Rivera-Denizard, O
EM: ordenizard@hotmail.com
AF: Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, PO Box 9012, Mayaguez, PR 00681
AU: Betancourt, C
EM: beta@stahl.uprm.edu
AF: Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, PO Box 9012, Mayaguez, PR 00681
AU: Armstrong, R A
EM: roy@cacique.uprm.edu
AF: Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, PO Box 9013, Mayaguez, PR 00681
AU: Detres, Y
EM: yasmin@cacique.uprm.edu
AF: Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, PO Box 9013, Mayaguez, PR 00681
AB: A wide variety of microorganisms are dispersed into the Caribbean region due to the input of Saharan dust aerosols during the summer months. These microorganisms can cause diseases in plants and animals, and might be responsible for an increase incidence of asthma and respiratory diseases in this region. A PM 2.5 air sampling station was installed in Castle Bruce, Dominica from March through July of 2002. Fourteen filters were obtained by running the air sampler continuously for 24 hour periods. The samples were collected in sterile Teflon filters (47 mm in diameter, 0.2 um pore size), inoculated in Malt Extract Agar (MEA) with lactic acid and incubated at $29\deg$ C. Colonies were counted, isolated and cultured on separate Petri dishes. Fungal classification to the genus level used macroscopic features and microscopic evaluation. The Nomarski light microscopy technique was used for identification of reproductive structures. A total of 105 colonies were isolated. Six genera including {\it Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Curvularia},and {\it Nigrospora} were identified. The protocol for the molecular characterization to species level is presented as the second part of this work.
DE: 0305 Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801)
SC: Biogeosciences [B]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting