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Project Code [2021-HE-1025]

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Project title

Monitoring And Modelling of Biological Aerosols (MAMBA)

Primary Funding Agency

Irish Research Council

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

Environmental Protection Agency

Lead Organisation

Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin)

Lead Applicant

Jerry Hourihane Clancy

Project Abstract

The proposed work will provide fungal spore monitoring capabilities to the Irish Pollen Network (funded as part of the EPA POMMEL project), founded recently by TU Dublin. This will create the first Irish bioaerosol network for the concurrent measurement of both pollen and fungal spores. The network will be established through the integration of traditional, spectroscopic and chemical methodologies into the currently functional sampling network (Dublin and Carlow). Full integration of a recently established site in Cork and the collected fungal spore data from all sites will be utilized to create an Irish fungal spore model. This work will primarily focus on the ambient fungal fraction of bioaerosols, which will have great benefits to stakeholders, particularly those that suffer from respiratory ailments such as hay fever and asthma, and agricultural industry, which is particularly susceptible to enhanced levels of fungal species (eg. Potato blight). The work will utilize several novel spectroscopic techniques such as the WIBS-NEO and IBAC for real-time monitoring of ambient fungal spores to determine the suitability of these instruments for deployment in a national sampling network. Concurrent monitoring of chemical tracers associated with fungal release will be undertaken to establish if such analysis could be used instead of the laborious traditional methods. Finally, data generated via both traditional and novel methods along with collected meteorological data will be incorporated into the development of an Irish bioaerosol forecast model.

Grant Approved

�55,000.00

Research Hub

Healthy Environment

Research Theme

n/a

Start Date

01/12/2021

Initial Projected Completion Date

30/11/2023