Passive air sampling detects environmental DNA transfer from water into air.

ABSTRACT: Water and air are generally treated as separate reservoirs of environmental DNA (eDNA) derived from the species resident in those respective environmental compartments. However, it is likely that eDNA routinely crosses the air-water boundary in both directions as a result of deposition, evaporation, or other processes. Here, we systematically tested methods of sampling eDNA at the air-water interface, showing for the first time that aquatic life can be consistently detected under standardized field conditions from passive air samples. We deployed four simple air samplers - three different kinds of filters and one open tray of deionized water - alongside paired water samples and visual counts over a six-week peak run of Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) at a local spawning stream. We then

SUBMITTER: Ip YCA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12657985 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature