AIRBORNE FUNGI ISOLATED FROM NATAL, STATE OF RIO-GRANDE-DO-NORTE - BRAZIL

The airborne fungi of Natal, State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, were studied during a one year period. One hundred and twenty Petri dishes with culture medium were exposed at five different locations in the city. Of the thirty one fungi genera identified the most frequent were: Aspergillus (78%), Penicillium (60%), Fusarium (42%), Cladosporium (21%), Curvularia (19%), Rhizopus (17%) and Rhodotorula (13%). These genera appeared in all collection sites and the frequency of occurrence of Neurospora and Drechslera was higher in Natal than in other Brazilian cities. The genus Cladosporium was more frequent in the summer. There was no difference in the number of fungi genera, number of sporulating colonies and number of non-sporulating colonies btween the five collection sites. The data suggest a similar level of pollution among Natal's suburbs. Detected air pollution level was low, apparently because Natal is not industrialized.