Particulate matter emission sources and meteorological parameters combine to shape the airborne bacteria communities in the Ligurian coast, Italy

Aim of the present study is to explore how the chemical composition of particulate matter (PM) and meteorological conditions combine in shaping the air microbiome in Savona (Italy), a medium-size, heavily inhabited urban settlement, hosting a wide range of industrial activities. In particular, the air microbiome and PM10 were monitored over six months in 2012. During that time, the air microbiome was highly dynamic, fluctuating between different compositional states, likely resulting from the aerosolization of different microbiomes emission sources. According to our findings, this dynamic process depends on the combination of local meteorological parameters and particle emission sources, which may affect the prevalent aerosolized microbiomes, thus representing further fundamental tools for source apportionment in a holistic approach encompassing chemical as well as microbiological pollution. In particular, we showed that, in the investigated area, industrial emissions and winds blowing from the inlands combine with an airborne microbiome which include faecal microbiomes components, suggesting multiple citizens’ exposure to both chemicals and microorganisms of faecal origin, as related to landscape exploitation and population density. In conclusion, our findings support the need to include monitoring of the air microbiome compositional structure as a relevant factor for the final assessment of local air quality.