Relationship between Viable Bacteria and Air Pollutants in an Urban Atmosphere

Abstract

Significant correlations were found between the concentration of viable airborne bacteria and the concentration of CO (−0.61) and hydrocarbons (+0.51) in measurements made in Cincinnati during the summer of 1969. No statistically significant correlations were found between bacteria concentration and temperature, relative humidity, or the concentration of total suspended particulate matter, NO, NO2, SO2) and oxidants. Partial correlation analysis where temperature and humidity were held constant, however, revealed significant correlations between bacteria concentration and the concentrations of NO (+0.45), NO2 (+0.62), SO2 (−0.76), hydrocarbons (+0.57), and CO (−0.54). Bacterial size expressed as the mass median diameter (7.6 μm average) was significantly correlated with relative humidity (−0.71)) and CO concentration (−0.60).