Bioaerosols are relevant as important pathogens in crops and on trees, as aeroallergens in relation to human health and as catalysts for physical processes in relation to climate such as cloud formation processes.
As such bioaerosols represent the interface of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and anthroposphere making studies focused on their diversity, impact and behaviour perfectly suitable for interdisciplinary Science of the Total Environment Journal (STOTEN).
For decades, the backbone in the European monitoring network of bioaerosols in relation to crop and human health has been simple impactors that trap the bioaerosols on a sticky surface followed by manual identification using optical microscopy.
This approach is both time consuming, expensive and limiting with respect to the progress of science. The last five to ten years a range of new techniques have become available that enable a number of scientific breakthroughs in the general understanding of bioaerosols and how they interact with the environment.
This special issue is related to the COST action ADOPT, involving an interdisciplinary network of experts currently involved in the detection of bioaerosols using both existing methods as well as upcoming technologies such as real or near real-time technologies from atmospheric chemistry and physics, eDNA methods used in molecular biology, immunological approaches such as allergen detection, low cost devices and remote sensing.
The Action, as well as the STOTEN Special Issue, also explores new approaches for bioaerosol capture by combining traditional site collection with mobile units such as planes, drones and vehicles.
The Action as well as the STOTEN Special Issue will therefore stimulate both research and technological development, e.g. by developing approaches for integration of multiple methods for detecting bioaerosols and how to handle data using numerical approaches in a big data environment.
15 manuscripts, at least, including an Editorial and a Scoping Review are expected to be published in this Special Issue. ADOPT will finance a number of Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) and the results of these collaborative studies are welcomed to be submitted to the special issue.
There are also larger collaborative activities in the Action, with substantial funding from other sources and we invite dissemination of their results through this special issue in STOTEN.
ADOPT will open calls to support limited number of open access publications in this special issue providing that at least three COST Action countries are among co-authors per paper and have a leading role in the study (e.g. as lead, corresponding or senior author).
The submissions can be sent through STOTEN Editorial Manager System from 01/07/2021 until 30/11/2022
To ensure that all manuscripts are correctly identified for inclusion into the special issue
select “VSI:COST ADOPT” when they reach the “Article Type” step in the submission process.
Also the relation of the authors and study to Cost Action ADOPT should be clearly indicated in the cover letter to the Editor.
COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a funding agency for research and innovation networks. Our Actions help connect research initiatives across Europe and enable scientists to grow their ideas by sharing them with their peers. This boosts their research, career and innovation.
ADOPT will establish an interdisciplinary network of experts currently involved in the detection of bioaerosols using both existing methods as well as upcoming technologies such as real or near real-time technologies from atmospheric chemistry and physics or eDNA methods used in molecular biology.
Chair: Prof Carsten Ambelas Skjøth
Vice-chair: Dr Branko Sikoparija
Grant Holder Scientific Representative:
Dr Tina Santl-Temkiv
Grant Holder Financial Representative: Emilia Alegria
STSM coordinator: Dr Lenka Hájková
ITC CG Coordinator: Dr Lukasz Grewling
