A side-by-side comparison of Rotorod and Burkard pollen and spore collections

Background The Rotorod sampler and Burkard spore trap are 2 devices commonly used to quantify airborne particles. Objective To evaluate the differences in collections between the 2 devices for a wide range of plant pollens and fungal spores. Methods Pollens and spores were collected simultaneously with each device on 167 days during a 1-year period. Results The Burkard yielded significantly higher total and individual mold spore counts. It yielded statistically higher total grass, total weed, and Urticaceae daily pollen counts, although the absolute differences were small. Daily counts were positively correlated between the 2 devices for the most abundant pollens and mold spores. Conclusion The Burkard spore trap collects many more mold spores than the Rotorod over a wide variety of species. The Burkard also yielded higher total grass, total weed, and Urticaceae daily pollen counts. Despite these differences, however, either device can be used to follow trends in the most abundant pollen and mold spores.