Research Journal of Environmental and Earth Sciences 4(3): 303-307, 2012 ISSN: 2041-0492 © Maxwell Scientific Organization, 2012 Submitted: November 25, 2011 Accepted: December 18, 2011 Published: March 01, 2012 Atmospheric Movement of Bacteria and Fungi in Clouds of Dust in Erbil City, Iraq 1 Adel Kamal Khider, 2Jwan Jalal Abdullah and 3Fareed Matti Toma Biology Department College of Education/Scientific Departments, Salahaddin University, Erbil-Iraq 2 Ecology Department, 3 Biology Department, College of Science, Salahaddin University, Erbil-Iraq 1 Abstract: In this study monthly aerosol samples collected at Erbil city, Iraq, throughout 2008-2009 yielded significant concentration of viable (culture forming) bacteria and fungi only when the dust was present. The results indicated the concentration of total bacteria was ranged from 3×104 to 36×106 CFU/g, and concentration of fungi varied a wide range from 6×103 to 36×103 CFU/g. The dominant group of bacteria isolated from the dust was Pseudomonas 25.6%, including P. corrugate, P. diminuta, P. marginata and P. agaramicus, followed by Zanthomonas 17.9%, including Z. orgzae, Staphylococcus 12.8%, including S. xylosus, S. epidermidis, S. homonis and S. cohini, Bacillus 10.2%, including B. subtilis and B. licheniformis, Curtobacterium, Micrococcus and Streptococcus 5.1%, Ctrubacterium, Rhodococcus and Agrobacterium 3.4%. Our data also confirms the existence of Aspergillus which comprised 23.4% of fungi colonies, followed by Penicillium 12.8%, Emerciella sp. 10.62%, Tetracoccosporium, Eurotium sp. 8.51%, Rhizopus sp., Sterile fungus, Trichocladium sp. 6.4%, Alternaria sp., Phoma sp., Yeast, Curvularia sp., Ascochyta sp., Taeniolella sp., Trichophyton, Fusarium sp., 2.12% of total isolated fungi. Key words: Bacteria, dust, Erbil, fungi, Iraq, microbial transport 1998; Navarro-Gonzalez et al., 2003; Maier et al., 2004), and the total No. of fungal typically found in a gram of topsoil is approximately 106 (Tate, 2000). In this study we examine the monthly temporal record of bacteria and fungi concentration and genera, only when the dust was present over the period November 2008-Juli 2009 in Erbil city, Iraq. INTRODUCTION Winds serve as a vector that enables the transport of microorganisms among widely dispersed habitats (Isard and Gage, 2001). These include organisms pathogenic to human, plants and animals (Brown and Hovm7ller, 2002). The large deserts on the planet, which include Rub-Al khali, Al Jazerah of khalig Al-Araby, Gobi, Takla Makan, and Badain Jaran deserts of Asia, Sahara and Sahel region of North Africa, are the primary source of mobilized desert top soil that move great distances through the atmosphere each year, it is believed that the deserts of south Africa have been the dominant sources of dust in the atmosphere of Iraq (USGS, 2003), there has been increased dust activity over the last 10 years that has been attributed to climate change and desertification, and desert topsoil is laden with viable and diverse prokaryote communities (Caimi and Eisenstark, 1986; Kuske et al., 1997; Carlton et al., 2001; Dose et al., 2001; Papova et al., 2002) Globally, a gram of topsoil contains 107 to 109 prokaryote (Whitman et al., 1998), these populations are believed to consist of 103 bacteria 99.9% of diversity (Torsvik et al., 1990; Torsvik et al., 2002; Gans et al., 2005). Studies that have examined the number of cultivatable prokaryotes in desert soil have reported concentrations ranged from 0 to 107 per g (Kwaasi et al., MATERIALS AND METHODS Dust samples were collected passively by allowing sedimentation monthly, using Sampling bulk or wet design collectors. The bulk sampling system typically consist of bucket or funnel and bottle configuration that is opened to the atmosphere during precipitation events and dry period (Durst et al., 1991), stored in sterile container until analysis. Microbial count: The concentration of cultivable bacteria and fungi per gram of dust (CFU/g) was estimated using standard plate count (Ellringer et al., 2000). Identification of fungi: Traditional microbial detection method are based on culturing method underestimate the total amount of microbes present in the sample, one gram of dust sample was placed into a screw cup vial which Corresponding Author: Adel Kamal Khider, Biology Department College of Education/Scientific Departments, Salahaddin University, Erbil-Iraq 303 Res. J. Environ. Earth Sci., 4(3): 303-307, 2012 Table 1: Concentration and species of cultivable bacteria in dust during 2008-2009 in Erbil city Month Isolated bacterial species November, 2008 Pseudomonas corrugate, Pseudomonas diminuta, Bacillus subtilis, Microbacterrium spp December, 2008 Pseudomonas marginata, Pseudomonas diminuta, Curtobacterium spp. January, 2009 Pseudomonas spp. Xanthomonas spp., gl, Micrococcus spp. February, 2009 Pseudomonas testosteroni, Pseudomonas diminuta, Staphylococcus xylosus, staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus spp. March, 2009 Microbacterium spp., Staphylococcus homonis, Xanthomonas orgzae April, 2009 Microbacterium spp., Staphylococcus cohinil, Xanthomonas oryzae May, 2009 Ctrubacterium spp., Streptococcus epidermidis, Xanthomonas oryzae Jun, 2009 Staphylococcus xyolsus, Rhodococcus fasians, Xanthomonas oryzae July, 2009 Micrococcus spp., Microbactrium spp., Xanthomonas oryzae Augest, 2009 Microbacterium spp., Bacillus lichenformis, Bacillus subtilis, Agrobacterium spp., Pseudomonas agaramicus September, 2009 Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Streptococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas spp., pseudomonas corrugate, Xanthomonas spp., Table 2: Concentration and isolated species of cultivable fungi from outdoor dust during 2008-2009 in Erbil city Month Isolated fungi species November, 2008 Aspergillus spp., Trichocladim spp., Phoma sp, yeast, Penicillium spp., Tetracoccosporium spp. December, 2008 Aspergillus spp., Rhizopus, Eurotium spp., Taeniolella spp., Tetracoccosporium spp. aspergillus niger January, 2009 Rhizopus sp. Emericella sp., Tetracoccosporium spp., Sterile fungum, Aspergillus niger, February, 2009 Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus tamari, Ascochyta sp., Alternaria sp., Emerciella sp., sterile fungus, Tetracoccosporium spp. March, 2009 Alternaria spp., Penicillium spp., Trichocladium sp., Eurotium sp, Sterile fungus, Curvularia sp. April, 2009 Trichocladium spp., Fusarium spp. 6x103 May, 2009 Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus spp., Emericella sp., Penecillium spp. Jun, 2009 Penicillium spp. July, 2009 Penicillium spp. Aspergillus sp., Trichophyton sp. August, 2009 Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., Eurotium sp., Rhizoctinia sp., Emericella sp. September N N: Data not obtained contain 9 mL of sterilized distal water. The screw cup contents were mixed by scrolling and left to stabilize. One ml of suspension was withdrawn and added to another screw cup containing 9 mL sterilized D.W. this process repeated another time again to three dilution, was 10G1, 10G2, 10G3, the suspension were left to stabilize, one ml from each dilution was cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and the plates were incubated at 25±2ºC for 7 days as reported in (Al-Herthi, 2005). The resulting cultures were subculture onto similar media. With rare exceptions, blanks yielded on cultures. Standard light microscopy and phase contrast microscopy were used to examine fungal cultures and identify spores producing in culture. Phenotypic identification was based on the microscopic and microscopic morphology of the cultures and spores, respectively, using taxonomic keys (Scott, 2001). No. of colonies (CFU/g) 36×106 3×106 3×107 3×106 3×106 3×104 3×104 3×106 3×106 3×106 3×106 No. of colonies (CFU/g) 27×103 19×103 1×104 29×103 14×103 11×103 36×103 7×103 8×103 N RESULTS Concentration of bacteria observed during dust storms are noted in Table 1, between November 2008 and July 2009 in Erbil city, Iraq. When assessed by culturing the media concentration of total bacteria were ranged from 3×104 to 36×106 CFU/g, average of four replicates, these numbers were varied between months, the highest number 36×106CFU/g was recorded in January 2009, while for other months were 3×106 CFU/g dust or less. Result identified presence of potential human, plants and animals pathogens, these isolates were composed of 10 bacterial genera. The dominant group of bacteria isolated from the dust was Pseudomonas 25.6%, including P. corrugate, P. diminuta, P marginata and P. agaramicus, followed by Zanthomonas 17.9% including Z. orgzae, Staphylococcus 12.8% including S. xylosus, S. epidermidis, S. homonis and S. cohini, Bacillus 10.2%, including B. subtilis and B. licheniformis, Curtobacterium, Micrococcus and Streptococcus 5.1%, Ctrubacterium, Rhodococcus and Agrobacterium 3.4%. Concentration of fungi varied a wide range from 6×103 to 1×104 CFU/g Table 2. Concentration were not affected by the seasons, there are substantial differences between the months. In particular, during Jun, February and November the concentration were markedly higher than other months. In fact concentration in Jun was substantially higher than any other period in the record. Identification of bacteria: For identification of bacteria one ml from each dilution (as explained previously for fungi) added to Blood based nutrients are non selective media which are widely used for broad spectrum studies (Lacey and Venette, 1995), the cultures were incubated at 37ºC for 48 h. Identification is based primarily on morphology, gram stain, spore stain, motility, and biochemical tests were carried out (Morello et al., 2003). Moreover the API20E (Bio Merieux, Marcyl, Etoile, France) system was performed when necessary. The pure cultures were sub cultured on nutrient agar slants and preserved in the refrigerator at 4ºC until required. 304 Res. J. Environ. Earth Sci., 4(3): 303-307, 2012 Table 2 shows the frequency of occurrence of colony forming fungi, based on identification of different colonies. The dominant fungi was Aspergillus which comprised 23.4% of fungi colonies, followed by Penicillium 12.8%, Emerciella sp. 10.62%, Tetracoccosporium, Eurotium sp. 8.51%, Rhizopus sp., Sterile fungus, Trichocladium sp. 6.4%, Alternaria sp., Phoma sp., Yeast, Curvularia sp., Ascochyta sp., Taeniolella sp., Trichophyton, Fusarium sp., 2.12% of total isolated fungi. immunological and respiratory symptoms. Pseudomonas species was dominant group of bacteria observed in the dust and transferred to our region, these genera of bacteria and fungi may present in the soil, but inhalation of the cloud dust containing microorganisms obligatly make risk. Some of these species are pathogenic for human, plants and animals, P. corrugate are plant pathogenic bacteria (Smith et al., 1988), Staphylococcus xylosus is a commensal bacterium of the skin, and has the ability to produce enterotoxins D, C or E, and are opportunistic pathogens of animals and are multi drug resist. Bacillus licheniformis is commonly associated with food spoilage and poisoning, it cause bread spoilage, or more specifically, and Rope spores is what causes the spoilage, unfortunately these spores do not get killed during the baking process, and also cause septicemia (SalkinojaSalonen et al., 1999), Staphylococcus epidermigis is opportunistic, endocarditis, urinary tract infection bacteria (Wisplinghoff et al., 2003). Aspergillus causing bread mold and seed decays, consists of approximately 185 species of which have been identified as causing opportunistic infections in man (Simmon-Nobbe et al., 2008), it is distributed ubiquitously in our natural environment and represents a dominant indoor pathogen, Penicillium causing blue mold root of fruits, Fusarium causing vascular wilts, root rots, and seed infections, Alternaria causing many leaf spots and blights, Rhizopus causing bread molds and soft root of fruits and vegetables (Agrios, 1997). In addition to the presence of these organisms, dust can indirectly impact human health by spurring toxic algal blooms in coastal environments (Holmes and Miller, 2004; Lenes et al., 2001; Walsh and Steidinger, 2001). Dust clouds may contain high concentration of organics composed of plant detritus and microorganisms (Griffin et al., 2002; Jaenicke, 2005). All of these potential dust cloud constituents may negatively influence human health with the greatest risk factors being frequency of exposure, concentration of and composition of particulates, and immunological status. Dust born microorganisms in particular can directly impact human health via pathogenesis, exposure of sensitive individual to cellular components (pollen and fungal allergens and lipopolysaccharides, etc.) (Griffin, 2007). There is no information on the dust constituents in this region, and the current study considered the first study of dust contents microorganisms in Erbil city. DISCUSSION The concentration of total bacteria and fungi analyzed by culture were 3×104 to 36×106 and 6×103 to 36×103 CFU/g for bacteria and fungi respectively Table 1 and 2, same results has been previously detected in the dust samples (Whitman et al., 1998) reported concentration ranging from 107 to 109 per g, and 0 to 107 (Kwaasi et al., 1998; Maier et al., 2004; Navarro-Gonzalez et al., 2003). The quantification of these results is based on colony forming unites i.e., including the possibility that a colony originates from an aggregate of several cells and spores, and that not all organisms are capable of producing a colony on artificial laboratory media. The preliminary results in this study proved that the concentration of cultivable bacteria and fungi in the dust are high, the results may change somewhat when the full dataset becomes available for each organisms. In the present study a total of ten bacterial genera and 16 fungi were isolated from dust soil Table 1 and 2, and the dominant bacteria was Pseudomonas, followed by zanthomonas, Staphylococcus, Microbacterium, Bacillus, Streptococcus, Micrococcus, and the dominant fungi was Aspergillus, Penicillium, Emerciella, Tetracoccosporium, Rhizopus, Alternaria, Phoma, Trichocladium. Desert dust research in Kuwait and Iraq, Which is the same source of the dust as in studied region, identified 149 bacteria CFU, which included representatives from 10 genera, these genera included Mycobacterium, Brucella, Coxiella burnetii, Clostridium perferingens, and Bacillus, the link between airborne particulate inhalation and variety of respiratory diseases has long been established (Luski et al., 2011). Seven genera were isolated from the atmosphere over Erdemli Turkey, during Saharan dust event in March 2002 (Griffin et al., 2002). 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