Onshore Wind Speed Modulates Microbial Aerosols along an Urban Waterfront
Wind blowing over aquatic and terrestrial surfaces produces aerosols, which include microbial aerosols. We studied the effect of onshore wind speeds on aerosol concentrations as well as total and culturable microbial aerosols (bacterial and viral) at an urban waterfront (New York, NY, United States...
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2017-11-01
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doaj-cb2f8622f35441dbb7daf4088fed256d2020-11-24T22:33:51ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332017-11-0181121510.3390/atmos8110215atmos8110215Onshore Wind Speed Modulates Microbial Aerosols along an Urban WaterfrontM. Elias Dueker0Gregory D. O’Mullan1Joaquín Martínez Martínez2Andrew R. Juhl3Kathleen C. Weathers4Biology Program & Environmental and Urban Studies Program, Bard College, Campus Road, PO Box 5000, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504, USASchool of Earth and Environmental Sciences, City University of New York Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY 11367, USABigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, 60 Bigelow Drive, P.O. Box 380, East Boothbay, ME 04544, USALamont Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, 61 Route 9W, Palisades, NY 10964, USACary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Box AB, Millbrook, NY 12545-0129, USAWind blowing over aquatic and terrestrial surfaces produces aerosols, which include microbial aerosols. We studied the effect of onshore wind speeds on aerosol concentrations as well as total and culturable microbial aerosols (bacterial and viral) at an urban waterfront (New York, NY, United States of America). We used two distinct methods to characterize microbial aerosol responses to wind speed: A culture-based exposure-plate method measuring viable bacterial deposition near-shore (CFU accumulation rate); and a culture-independent aerosol sampler-based method measuring total bacterial and viral aerosols (cells m−3 air). While ambient coarse (>2 µm) and fine (0.3–2 µm) aerosol particle number concentrations (regulated indicators of air quality) decreased with increasing onshore wind speeds, total and depositing culturable bacterial aerosols and total viral aerosols increased. Taxonomic identification of the 16S rDNA of bacterial aerosol isolates suggested both terrestrial and aquatic sources. Wind appears to increase microbial aerosol number concentrations in the near-shore environment by onshore transport at low wind speeds (<4 m s−1), and increased local production and transport of new microbial aerosols from adjacent water surfaces at higher wind speeds (>4 m s−1). This study demonstrates a wind-modulated microbial connection between water and air in the coastal urban environment, with implications for public health management and urban microbial ecology.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/8/11/215bacteriavirusviral particleair qualitywater qualitycoastal |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
M. Elias Dueker Gregory D. O’Mullan Joaquín Martínez Martínez Andrew R. Juhl Kathleen C. Weathers |
spellingShingle |
M. Elias Dueker Gregory D. O’Mullan Joaquín Martínez Martínez Andrew R. Juhl Kathleen C. Weathers Onshore Wind Speed Modulates Microbial Aerosols along an Urban Waterfront Atmosphere bacteria virus viral particle air quality water quality coastal |
author_facet |
M. Elias Dueker Gregory D. O’Mullan Joaquín Martínez Martínez Andrew R. Juhl Kathleen C. Weathers |
author_sort |
M. Elias Dueker |
title |
Onshore Wind Speed Modulates Microbial Aerosols along an Urban Waterfront |
title_short |
Onshore Wind Speed Modulates Microbial Aerosols along an Urban Waterfront |
title_full |
Onshore Wind Speed Modulates Microbial Aerosols along an Urban Waterfront |
title_fullStr |
Onshore Wind Speed Modulates Microbial Aerosols along an Urban Waterfront |
title_full_unstemmed |
Onshore Wind Speed Modulates Microbial Aerosols along an Urban Waterfront |
title_sort |
onshore wind speed modulates microbial aerosols along an urban waterfront |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Atmosphere |
issn |
2073-4433 |
publishDate |
2017-11-01 |
description |
Wind blowing over aquatic and terrestrial surfaces produces aerosols, which include microbial aerosols. We studied the effect of onshore wind speeds on aerosol concentrations as well as total and culturable microbial aerosols (bacterial and viral) at an urban waterfront (New York, NY, United States of America). We used two distinct methods to characterize microbial aerosol responses to wind speed: A culture-based exposure-plate method measuring viable bacterial deposition near-shore (CFU accumulation rate); and a culture-independent aerosol sampler-based method measuring total bacterial and viral aerosols (cells m−3 air). While ambient coarse (>2 µm) and fine (0.3–2 µm) aerosol particle number concentrations (regulated indicators of air quality) decreased with increasing onshore wind speeds, total and depositing culturable bacterial aerosols and total viral aerosols increased. Taxonomic identification of the 16S rDNA of bacterial aerosol isolates suggested both terrestrial and aquatic sources. Wind appears to increase microbial aerosol number concentrations in the near-shore environment by onshore transport at low wind speeds (<4 m s−1), and increased local production and transport of new microbial aerosols from adjacent water surfaces at higher wind speeds (>4 m s−1). This study demonstrates a wind-modulated microbial connection between water and air in the coastal urban environment, with implications for public health management and urban microbial ecology. |
topic |
bacteria virus viral particle air quality water quality coastal |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/8/11/215 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT meliasdueker onshorewindspeedmodulatesmicrobialaerosolsalonganurbanwaterfront AT gregorydomullan onshorewindspeedmodulatesmicrobialaerosolsalonganurbanwaterfront AT joaquinmartinezmartinez onshorewindspeedmodulatesmicrobialaerosolsalonganurbanwaterfront AT andrewrjuhl onshorewindspeedmodulatesmicrobialaerosolsalonganurbanwaterfront AT kathleencweathers onshorewindspeedmodulatesmicrobialaerosolsalonganurbanwaterfront |
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