Fog-Induced Alteration in Airborne Microbial Community: a Study over Central Indo-Gangetic Plain in India

Fog supports an increase in airborne microbial loading by providing water with nutrients and protecting it from harmful incoming solar radiation. To improve our present understanding of fog-induced alteration in an atmospheric microbial community, a study was conducted during 1 to 14 January 2021 for continuous investigation of airborne bacteria over a rural site, Arthauli (25.95°N, 85.10°E), in central Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) in India. An increase of 36% ± 0.4% in airborne bacterial loading was noticed under fog versus prefog conditions, and a decrease of 48% ± 0.4% was noticed under the postfog condition. Airborne bacterial loading had a strong correlation with RH (R² = 0.56; P < 0.05), temperature (R² = -0.55, P < 0.05), and wind speed (R² = -0.52, P < 0.05). Unique types of bacteria, representing about 29% of the whole community, were detected only under foggy conditions, likely by a continuous supply of nutrients and water from a cold, calm, and humid atmosphere. As a result, no significant diurnal variation of bacterial loading was noticed on a foggy day, with a higher daily mean concentration of about (8.4 ± 1.7) × 10⁵ cells · m^-3 than that on a typical winter day [(6.3 ± 3.8) × 10⁵ cells · m^-3]. A typical winter day experienced about a 60% decrease in bacterial loading in the afternoon in comparison to that in the morning. A 3-day back-trajectory analysis suggests a slow movement of airmass along with the wind blowing from west to central IGP. Fog pauses wind movement, which reduces continuous transportation of urban sources while increasing airborne bacteria from local sources. The abundances of Gp6 (14.8% ± 8.6%), Anaeromyxobacter (7.1% ± 2.8%), and Gp7 (6.8 ± 2.6%) have been observed to increase due to occurrences of fog over central IGP. IMPORTANCE Fog was investigated in the present study as a cause of alteration in the airborne microbial community. Occurrences of fog were responsible for an increase in airborne microbial loading (36%) over central IGP in India due to the easy availability of nutrients and water in the air and dimming of harmful solar radiation. More than 90% of unique bacteria were detected under fog (64%) and postfog (28%) conditions. A few bacteria, like Gp18 (0.5% ± 0.3%), Alicyclobacillus (0.5% ± 0.1%), Sinomonas (0.4% ± 0.2%), and Phenylobacterium (0.4% ± 0.2%), were detected only under foggy conditions. A strong correlation between meteorological parameters and bacterial loading was found in the current research work. The present study provides additional support toward a new direction in interdisciplinary science for the detailed investigations of the effects of meteorological conditions on airborne bacteria and their implications for society.