Pollen dynamics in building-integrated rooftop greenhouse in urban areas

GROOF

Pollen dynamics in building-integrated rooftop greenhouse in urban areas

GROOF

Ercilla-Montserrat M., Izquierdo R., Montero, J., Muñoz P., Belmonte J., De Linares, C., Rieradevall J

CTM2016-75772-C3-1-R, AI/UE-Feder

Building-integrated rooftop greenhouseBuilding-integrated rooftop greenhouse

2

Future

two-way connections

between the building

and its greenhouse

Fertilecity Project1: The i-RTG-Lab is an Integrated rooftop greenhouse that

exchanges the metabolic flows (energy, water and gas) with the ICTA-ICP building

In winter: Use of residual hot air accumulated in the i-RTG,

which needs to be ventilated, to heat the building.

1. http://www.fertilecity.com

E

Hightemperature

ObjectivesObjectives

1. To assess the greenhouse workers’ exposure to airborne pollen in order

to prevent allergy problems in urban i-RTGs

2. To determine the influence of indoor and outdoor meteorological

conditions and crop management practices on the biological air quality.

3. To evaluate whether the quality of the hot air accumulated in the i-RTG

is adequate for reuse inside the building, and to assess the risk of

causing or aggravating respiratory problems.

3

In conventional greenhouses, workers are exposed to dust and

biological particles suspended in the air, including pollen grains, which

can cause respiratory problems. The exposure levels vary depending

on the type of crop, the tasks carried out and the season of the year.

The goals of this study are:

Materials & methodsMaterials & methods

4

Airborne samples collection and analysis:

Hirst volumetric suction pollen-spore trap, standard method in the European aerobiological networks

Analyzing norms from Red Española de Aerobiología (REA)

Daily average pollen

concentrations

Materials & methodsMaterials & methods

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ICTA-ICP building i-RTG Lab

Volumetric suction pollen-spore

5. Results and discussion5. Results and discussion

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In the i-RTG

total 4,924 pollen grains/m3; 33 taxa

daily peak 334 pollen grains/m3

4/03/2016

Outdoor

total 17,132 pollen grains/m3, 45 taxa

daily peak 932 pollen grains/m3

27/03/2016

Platanus and Pinus accounted for 56 and 58% of the total pollen in

both the indoor and outdoor environments

The most important source of pollen grains indoors was, in general,

the outdoor environment.

98% of total indoor pollen and 97% of the total outdoor: Acer, Alnus,

Cupressaceae, Fraxinus, Morus, Pinus, Platanus, Populus, Quercus

deciduous type, Quercus evergreen type, Salix, Ulmus, Coriaria, Corylus,

Mercurialis, Urticaceae and Solanaceae

Pollen dynamic

5. Results and discussion5. Results and discussion

7

During winter the estimated pollen penetration from outdoor to indoor was one hundred

times lower than in summer. Therefore, we focused our attention on indoor Solanaceae pollen

concentrations that was the only pollen taxon detected exclusively indoor. As a conclusion, the

recirculation of air from the i-RTG Lab to other parts of the building is recommended to occur

during winter (using adequate filters to avoid distribution of particles)

Pollen dynamic, Solanaceae (3th)

5. Results and discussion5. Results and discussion

8

Fungal spores dynamic

In the i-RTG

total of 295,038 fungal spores/m3 ; 29 taxa

daily peak: 26,185 spores/m3; 27/07/2016

Outdoor,

Total of 606,642 fungal spores/m3, 31 taxa

daily peak: 28,000 spores/m3;10/05/2016

The most important source of fungal spores observed indoors was, in general, the

outdoor environment. Nevertheless, some fungal spore taxa, such as the allergenic

Aspergillus/Penicillium, largely originated inside the greenhouse or were able to colonize

the indoor environment due to more favorable growing conditions than outside

99.9% of the total spores in both environments, 26 fungal spore taxa were selected: Agaricus,

Agrocybe, Alternaria, Arthrinium, Aspergillus/Penicillium, Chaetomium, Cladosporium,

Coprinaceae, Drechslera/Helminthosporium, Epicoccum, Ganoderma, Leptosphaeria, Myxomycota,

Oidium, Pithomyces, Pleospora, Polythrincium, Stemphyllium, Thelephoraceae, Torula, Ustilago,

Xylariaceae, other Ascospores (unicellular, bicellular, pluricellular) and other Basidiospores

Bibliography daily peak

recommendations

105 spores/m3 (Eduard, 2009)

103 spores/m3 (Santilli and Rockwell, 2003)

5. Results and discussion5. Results and discussion

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Oidium and Torula are related to fungal diseases of tomato crops. Their indoor

concentrations showed no relationship with concentrations outside of the greenhouse

Depending on the fungal spore taxon, both positive and negative significant correlations

were observed for temperature, relative humidity and precipitation

High development of Oidium disease in the tomato crop which is characterized by the

climatic conditions of the i-RTG

Hightemperature

Low humiity

Fungal spores dynamic

5. Results and discussion5. Results and discussion

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Agricultural management tasks, such as pollination by hand, fungal treatments and

sweeps, increased the exposure to Torula and Oidium spores. Growers’ exposure to

mesophilic fungi was found to be highest in environments where tomato plants were

being removed, followed by environments in which tomatoes were harvested

Torula and Oidium airborne fungal spore concentrations recorded in the i-RTG

Fungal spores dynamic

6. Conclusions6. Conclusions

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It is possible to recirculate the air of the i-RTG to the building without posing allergy

health risks for the building users

1. The most important source of indoor pollen and fungal spores was the outdoor

environment. The lowest ventilation rate occurs during winter when the recirculation of

the hot air is needed

2. The operational crop tasks that cause critical moments when the recirculation of residual

i-RTG air is not appropriate have been identified (crops removal and harvesting periods)

3. Preventive measures

- install a system to interrupt the recirculation of air to the building during critical periods.

- implement appropriate air filters in ventilation air ducts

Assessment of pollution air as a contributor of heavy metals in Vertical Farming agriculture.

CTM2016-75772-C3-1-R, AI/UE-Feder

IntroductionIntroduction

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hydropoinc

Building=barrier

Distance to a road

Heavy metal concentration in crops

Social perception

Heavy metals from air

contaminate the crops!

Air

ObjetivesObjetives

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• To determine heavy metal contamination of horticultural

products grown on roofs in urban and peri-urban areas of

Barcelona

• To evaluate the potential air pollution vector in isolation in

heavy metal contamination of VF products

• To determine the wash effect (manually and by the rain)

• To evaluate whether greenhouses can act as barrier to heavy

metals and in what way

Materials and Methods Materials and Methods

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Materials and Methods Materials and Methods

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High-volume sensors

ResultsResults

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Sumary of target values and assessment thresholds in UE legislation and results of heavy metal

concentration in the sampled air. Legend: 1. Data from (EU, 2004) 2. Annual average (2016) concentration of

heavy metals; data derived from (Xarxa de Vigilància i Previsió de la Qualitat de l’Aire (XVPCA), 2017.)

Ni (ng/m3) As (ng/m3) Cd (ng/m3) Pb (ng/m3)

EU legislation

Target value UE1 20 6 5 500

Upper assessment threshold UE1 14 3.6 3 350

Lower assessment threshold UE1 10 2.4 2 250

Periurban

Rooftop

Campaign 1 6.66 0.83 3 24.41

Campaign 2 9.02 0.67 3 21.18

Periurban i-RTG Campaign 1 4.90 0.76 3 26.69

Campaign 2 5.44 0.69 3 20.66

Urban Courtyard Campaign 2 8.66 0.68 3 22.44

Urban Rooftop Campaign 2 7.42 0.71 3 20.76

BCN average2 3.74 1 0.39 10.75

Castellvisbal average2 3.49 0.65 0.14 5.44

ResultadosResultados

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Heavy metal concentration in lettuce (Ni, Hg, As, Cd i Pb) in lettuce samples. U: unwashed; W: washed

Ni (mg Ni /

kg sample)

Hg (mg Hg /

kg sample)

As (mg As /

kg sample)

Cd (mg Cd /

kg sample)

Pb

(mg Pb /

kg sample)

% from EU

legislation

Periurban

Rooftop

Campaign1 U < 0.020 < 0.008 < 0.005 < 0.005 0.0090 9%

Campaign1 W < 0.020 < 0.008 < 0.005 < 0.005 0.0080 8%

Campaign2 U < 0.020 < 0.008 < 0.005 < 0.005 0.0228 23%

Periurban i-

RTG

Campaign1 U < 0.020 < 0.008 < 0.005 < 0.005 0.0060 6%

Campaign1 W < 0.020 < 0.008 < 0.005 < 0.005 0.0070 7%

Campaign2 U < 0.020 < 0.008 < 0.005 < 0.005 0.0090 9%

Urban

Courtyard

Campaign1 U < 0.020 < 0.008 < 0.005 < 0.005 0.0110 11%

Campaign1 W < 0.020 < 0.008 < 0.005 < 0.005 0.0090 9%

Campaign2 U < 0.020 < 0.008 < 0.005 < 0.005 0.0244 24%

Urban

Rooftop Campaign 2 U < 0.020 < 0.008 < 0.005 < 0.005 0.0187 19%

EU legislation - - - 0.050 0.1

ConclusionsConclusions

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This study has proven the feasibility of produce leaves crops on the rooftops of the

Barcelona city and its surroundings. This new methodology allow simultaneously

analysing air quality and the quality of food (in the same places and in the same time) in

urban areas.

First, because all the vegetable samples contain a heavy metal concentration below UE

legislation. Specifically for Ni, H, As and Cd the concentration of heavy metal are below

the detectable analytic values (<0.02 mg Ni/kg, <0.008 mg Hg/kg, 0.005 mg As/kg and

<0.005 mg Cd/kg that is a 10% of the UE limit). Pb concentration ranged from 0.0060

mg/kg to 0.0244 mg/Kg (between the 6% and the 24% of the EU limit).

Secondly, in the air none of the metals is above the legal value. We further confirm that

air quality in Barcelona and its surroundings is adequate on the UA point of view despite

the sampling points are really close to high density roads.

Finally, greenhouse is not potential detected as a barrier in Barcelona context due to low

levels of heavy metal absorption by plants. However, the preliminary results show that

the greenhouse is preventing the washing of lead by rain.

ConclusionsConclusions

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In conclusion, in Barcelona UA developed in hydroponics systems (as an

alternative of soil agriculture) can avoid heavy metal concentration in the

aliments because it’s possible to guarantee non contaminated substrates

and the air is also discarded as a contamination vector. Furhermore, as

the patrons of heavy metal concentration in BCN air are similar than EU

cities, these results can be export to the other urban areas of the UE.

www.fertilecity.com/

CTM2016-75772-C3-1-R, AI/UE-Feder