Seasonal variation characteristic of inhalable microbial communities in PM2.5 in Beijing city, China

Bacteria and fungi are primary constituents of airborne microbes in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and significantly impact human health. However, hitherto, seasonal variation and effect of air pollution on microbial community composition and structure are poorly understood. This study analyzed the bacterial and fungal composition of PM2.5 under different air pollution levels during different seasons in Beijing. We altogether collected 75PM2.5 samples during four seasons from April 2014 to January 2015, under different air pollution levels and employed high-throughput sequencing methods to analyze microbial composition. The results showed that air pollution decreased species richness and community diversity of bacteria in PM2.5. The variation in bacterial and fungal community composition and structure was significantly related to the season but there was no correlation between their abundance and pollution levels. Pathogenic bacteria and fungi were more abundant in winter than other seasons. To best of our knowledge, this is the first study that demonstrates seasonal variation characteristics of bacteria and fungi in PM2.5 in heavy haze contaminated areas and highlights the effects of air pollution on the atmospheric microbial community. This study would be useful to other bioaerosol studies focusing on the role of the atmospheric particulate matter on human health.