EGU25-10456, updated on 15 Mar 2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10456
EGU General Assembly 2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
A case study based on bioaerosol emissions from farmland and animal houses
Zhuo Chen1, Emily Matthews1, Ian Crawford1, Jonathan West2, Michael Flynn1, David Topping1, Martin Gallagher1, and Hugh Coe1
Zhuo Chen et al.
  • 1The University of Manchester, Earth Science, Earth Science, Manchester, United Kingdom of Great Britain – England, Scotland, Wales
  • 2Plant Pathology and Aerobiology Lab, Bawden Building, Protecting Crops and the Environment Group, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, AL5 2JQ, UK

Bioaerosols encompass a diverse range of airborne particles such as viruses, bacteria, fungal spores, pollen, and various fragments related to plants and animals. Bioaerosols through their extensive involvement in surface-atmosphere physic-chemical reactions affect the stability of the biosphere, climate change, and human health. To accurately measure bioaerosols and provide early warning of exposure, a range of real-time bioaerosol detection instruments have been developed that can rapidly identify bioaerosol species through techniques such as fluorescence spectroscopy, holography and light scattering. In this work we deployed a Multiparameter Bioaerosol Spectrometer (MBS), a UVLIF and morphological single particle spectrometer,  as part of a pilot experiment at the Rothamsted North Wyke Farm Platform (NWFP). Analysis of the MBS measurements was used to assess the contributions of biofluorescent aerosol emitted from local farmyards and animal housing compared with the surrounding environment. Preliminary analysis of the data shows that the expected distinct bioaerosol diurnal concentration pattern experienced significant perturbations induced by the nearby animal house emissions. Concentrations in general were higher during morning and nighttime periods and displayed more stable patterns in the afternoon indicative of activities. Bioaerosol sizes ranged from Dp = 0.5 to 5 µm and were dominated by specific fluorescent clusters clearly dependent on the emission source. These data will be examined in more detail using laboratory training data sets to inform AI algorithms to further discriminate bioaerosol classes.

 
 

How to cite: Chen, Z., Matthews, E., Crawford, I., West, J., Flynn, M., Topping, D., Gallagher, M., and Coe, H.: A case study based on bioaerosol emissions from farmland and animal houses, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-10456, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10456, 2025.