Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SYLVA (A SYstem for reaL-time obserVation of Aeroallergens)
Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2024-06-30
Aeroallergens affect over 80 million Europeans, reducing their quality of life and costing over €50 billion/year. Bioaerosols, such as pollen, fungal spores, etc, released into the air by plants, fungi, and other biota, are impacted by climate change and affect it through interactions with clouds and precipitation. Aerobiological information is also vital for agriculture and forestry, where timely data about plant development, abundance of pathogens and invasive species, are necessary for precision-agriculture and knowledge-based technologies. The demand for timely, free, and objective information on abundance of these particles in the air is currently not met.
Automatic, real-time bioaerosol monitors have emerged recently, largely by efforts of SYLVA partners. They benefit from precision sampling technology, high-end imaging, laser and holographic techniques, and rely on machine learning for information processing. A specific challenge is particle type recognition. Particle classifiers need to have extremely high selectivity to correctly single out a few relevant particles out of tens of thousands of other aerosols routinely present in the air. The large variety of aerosols across Europe, natural variations within a given species, and the impact of atmospheric conditions add complexity to the problem. During recent years, SYLVA partners and other research groups have created the first regional reference datasets, but these activities have been limited in scale.
The goal of SYLVA is:
To achieve a radical improvement and fill gaps in temporal resolution, timeliness, coverage, and availability of information about aeroallergens and other bioaerosols. SYLVA technological innovations are accompanied with new infrastructure, distribution and exploitation pathways, and links with stakeholders to ensure technology uptake and sustainability beyond the lifetime of the project.
SYLVA is radically advancing real-time bioaerosol monitoring technologies for in situ (target TRL8), atmospheric profile (tTRL7), and 3rd generation eDNA sequencing measurements (tTRL7). All instruments are being tested and validated for operational monitoring across Europe, including extreme conditions in the Arctic, southern Europe, and at high altitudes. Machine learning based bioaerosol identification algorithms are being extended to include more pollen species, fungal spores, as well as some bacteria.
SYLVA combines:
(i) several cutting-edge technologies, (ii) big-data and machine learning techniques supported by (iii) innovative ICT infrastructure and (iv) data collection and Demonstration Pilot campaigns to construct and evaluate a versatile prototype of a Europe-wide bioaerosol monitoring system that provides (v) game-changing information to end-users (attached Figure 1).
Technological innovations are shown through Pilot Demonstrations in three European regions (attached Figure 2).
Open science is an integral aspect of SYLVA. The consortium recognizes that working together to produce open data, publications, algorithms, and tools is of benefit to all relevant actors, whether it be industry, researchers, or the public at large.
Automatic, real-time bioaerosol monitors have emerged recently, largely by efforts of SYLVA partners. They benefit from precision sampling technology, high-end imaging, laser and holographic techniques, and rely on machine learning for information processing. A specific challenge is particle type recognition. Particle classifiers need to have extremely high selectivity to correctly single out a few relevant particles out of tens of thousands of other aerosols routinely present in the air. The large variety of aerosols across Europe, natural variations within a given species, and the impact of atmospheric conditions add complexity to the problem. During recent years, SYLVA partners and other research groups have created the first regional reference datasets, but these activities have been limited in scale.
The goal of SYLVA is:
To achieve a radical improvement and fill gaps in temporal resolution, timeliness, coverage, and availability of information about aeroallergens and other bioaerosols. SYLVA technological innovations are accompanied with new infrastructure, distribution and exploitation pathways, and links with stakeholders to ensure technology uptake and sustainability beyond the lifetime of the project.
SYLVA is radically advancing real-time bioaerosol monitoring technologies for in situ (target TRL8), atmospheric profile (tTRL7), and 3rd generation eDNA sequencing measurements (tTRL7). All instruments are being tested and validated for operational monitoring across Europe, including extreme conditions in the Arctic, southern Europe, and at high altitudes. Machine learning based bioaerosol identification algorithms are being extended to include more pollen species, fungal spores, as well as some bacteria.
SYLVA combines:
(i) several cutting-edge technologies, (ii) big-data and machine learning techniques supported by (iii) innovative ICT infrastructure and (iv) data collection and Demonstration Pilot campaigns to construct and evaluate a versatile prototype of a Europe-wide bioaerosol monitoring system that provides (v) game-changing information to end-users (attached Figure 1).
Technological innovations are shown through Pilot Demonstrations in three European regions (attached Figure 2).
Open science is an integral aspect of SYLVA. The consortium recognizes that working together to produce open data, publications, algorithms, and tools is of benefit to all relevant actors, whether it be industry, researchers, or the public at large.
SYLVA has several directions of technical innovations and research.
Bioaerosol monitors, technical development and testing.
Three in-situ devices selected at the proposal stage, for testing and development by SYLVA have been through the initial set of assessment and advancement: Swisens Poleno, Hund Wetzlar BAA500, and Plair Rapid-E+. The work included: (i) evaluation and improvement, where possible, of the device maturity and readiness to operational work within the regional/national/European network. We have confirmed that Poleno and BAA500 are ready for operational work within existing and future networks, whereas Rapid-E+ requires major improvement of compatibility across devices; (ii) Poleno and BAA500 have been further evaluated in extreme conditions within SYLVA Pilots.
A new microbiological laboratory, the first-ever in meteorological institutes, has been established in FMI, its technical maturity and protocols of analysis have been developed and validated. The first paper has been submitted to Nature Scientific Reports.
Work with in-situ remote sensing by PolyXT lidars was concentrated on development and operationalization of the bioaerosol recognition algorithm, which now combines the lidar raw data with the SILAM model predictions of non-biological particles in the atmosphere. A series of papers has been published / submitted on various versions of the algorithm.
A new SYLVA infrastructure for Poleno and BAA500 will be able to support the whole cycle of in-situ observations with these two devices. This development eliminates one of the main obstacles on the way towards massive deployment of these monitors: high demand to IT infrastructure for storage of raw data produced by the devices, their processing, dissemination, etc.
Finally, a new largest-ever dataset of European pollen and spore samples as a digital archive opens a new possibilities for training and evaluation of the bioaerosol recognition algorithms.
Bioaerosol monitors, technical development and testing.
Three in-situ devices selected at the proposal stage, for testing and development by SYLVA have been through the initial set of assessment and advancement: Swisens Poleno, Hund Wetzlar BAA500, and Plair Rapid-E+. The work included: (i) evaluation and improvement, where possible, of the device maturity and readiness to operational work within the regional/national/European network. We have confirmed that Poleno and BAA500 are ready for operational work within existing and future networks, whereas Rapid-E+ requires major improvement of compatibility across devices; (ii) Poleno and BAA500 have been further evaluated in extreme conditions within SYLVA Pilots.
A new microbiological laboratory, the first-ever in meteorological institutes, has been established in FMI, its technical maturity and protocols of analysis have been developed and validated. The first paper has been submitted to Nature Scientific Reports.
Work with in-situ remote sensing by PolyXT lidars was concentrated on development and operationalization of the bioaerosol recognition algorithm, which now combines the lidar raw data with the SILAM model predictions of non-biological particles in the atmosphere. A series of papers has been published / submitted on various versions of the algorithm.
A new SYLVA infrastructure for Poleno and BAA500 will be able to support the whole cycle of in-situ observations with these two devices. This development eliminates one of the main obstacles on the way towards massive deployment of these monitors: high demand to IT infrastructure for storage of raw data produced by the devices, their processing, dissemination, etc.
Finally, a new largest-ever dataset of European pollen and spore samples as a digital archive opens a new possibilities for training and evaluation of the bioaerosol recognition algorithms.
SYLVA is a highly innovative project dealing with the technologies that did not exist or were in embryonic stage just 5-10 years ago. The project undertakes the effort to develop them, evaluate, and bring to operational state.
- For the first time, systematic adaptation and evaluation of three most-promising in-situ bioaerosol monitors has been conducted (the evaluation stage continues through 2024-2025) in different parts of Europe.
- The first integrated IT infrastructure has been developed for Poleno and BAA500, capable of supporting operations of Europe-wide network
- The first dedicated microbiological laboratory was established in FMI for the 3rd-generation DNA analysis of atmospheric samples. New operational protocols have been established.
- The first Europe-wide reference datasets have been created for all three in-situ monitors and DNA analysis, a prerequisite for creation of universal algorithms of bioaerosol recognition at European scale.
- A set of open-code particle recognition algorithms has been developed by the SYLVA consortium members, their training with the new reference datasets is in progress
- The first algorithm for pollen recognition with PolyXT lidars has been developed and operationalized for applications within EARLINET network
- For the first time, systematic adaptation and evaluation of three most-promising in-situ bioaerosol monitors has been conducted (the evaluation stage continues through 2024-2025) in different parts of Europe.
- The first integrated IT infrastructure has been developed for Poleno and BAA500, capable of supporting operations of Europe-wide network
- The first dedicated microbiological laboratory was established in FMI for the 3rd-generation DNA analysis of atmospheric samples. New operational protocols have been established.
- The first Europe-wide reference datasets have been created for all three in-situ monitors and DNA analysis, a prerequisite for creation of universal algorithms of bioaerosol recognition at European scale.
- A set of open-code particle recognition algorithms has been developed by the SYLVA consortium members, their training with the new reference datasets is in progress
- The first algorithm for pollen recognition with PolyXT lidars has been developed and operationalized for applications within EARLINET network