Allergic pollens play a major role in allergic rhinitis and asthma.  

Goals

  1. To build the first database on the distribution of pollens across the city of Tehran.
  2. To provide daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal and annual reports on the distribution of pollens in Tehran.
  3. An accurate identification of the distribution of plant species across Tehran.
  4. To raise community awareness on

Method

  1. The 22 districts of Tehran were divided into 5 main areas.
  2. Plants in each area were carefully collected and identified.
  3. A data entry system was designed based on the specific genus, species, flowering and pollination time and plant variety in each area.
  4. Special staining, light microscopy and imaging of the collected pollens is performed.
  5. Durham sampler and Gravimetric method is used for quantitative analysis of pollens and their constituents in different districts.
  6. A Burkard sampler (designed by Dr. Zandieh) is also installed in the central region of Tehran (on the rooftop of IAARI building)
  7. Images of pollens are cross referenced and classified according to palynology atlases.
  8. The data is then correlated with Tehran’s environmental data (e.g., diurnal temperature ranges, humidity, pressure, precipitation, etc.) and pollutants (i.e., NOx, SO2, CO, O3, PM2.5 and PM10), and graphs are produced using the IBM SPSS® software platform.
  9. A calendar is also issued depicted the distribution of plant life (i.e., trees, grass, weeds, and their flowering and pollination periods)