Research Advancements in the Study of Microbiology of Aerosols

Air pollution is the main cause of majority of respiratory diseases. In addition to the urban pollutants such as hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur oxides, inhalable particulate matter is also present in the environment. The term “natural or anthropogenic aerosols” refer to a mixture of tiny solid particles or tiny liquid droplets suspended in air or another gas, either occurring naturally or resulting from human activities. Apart from the PM2.5, PM10 particles, the presence of biological constituents such as bacteria, virus, pollen grains, and fungal spores aggravate the situation leading to adverse effects in humans and animals. It is therefore important to distinguish the microbial characteristics of the ambient air so that it can be useful in the health assessment studies and to develop control measures against the diseases caused by the microbiological component of air. This paper comprises a systematic review which deals with the study of microbiology of aerosols and their characterization studies in air pollution research.