Pollen - "The sky is falling, the sky is falling" Chicken Little

[TOGWT]

Pollen[: Micro gametophytes - pollen grains]

"The sky is falling, the sky is falling" Chicken Little

The yellow fines to coarse powders you see in the air is made up of small sperm cells from blooming plants and are one of the most common allergy triggers. The pollen from trees are the main concern, vehicles get hit with pollen laced trees that include: oak, western red cedar, elm, birch, ash, hickory, polar, sycamore, maple, cypress and walnut (which also leaves an oily residue). Pollen grains of pines, firs, and spruces are winged.

Pollen must be strong to protect the male gametes on their journey. The outer wall of the pollen grain, called the exine, is composed of a very unusual substance called sporopollenin which is very tough. The inner layer is made of cellulose and is similar in construction to an ordinary plant cell wall; pollen will literally ‘wear’ away wax or polymer sealants.

Pollen isn't removed by air friction as you drive because it adheres to a surface with microscopic barbs that can attach to even a very slightly uneven surface, and adheres to a natural wax better than a synthetic polymer. As well as being allergic pollen is also very abrasive (due to its exine or barbs) and slightly acidic dust, especially when mixed with moisture and should therefore be removed from paint surfaces as soon as is practicable.

To remove heavy dust (do not use a California Duster as the pollen exine will cause surface marring) instead use Optimum No Rinse (ONR) a quick ‘wash’; formulated with surfactants to keep dirt in suspension, avoiding surface contact, it also provides surface lubrication, thereby avoiding surface marring. As soon as is practical, thoroughly rinse the vehicle with a hose and clean water to ensure all the pollen is removed.

No wax or polymer sealant can provide a permanent shield against: Micro gametophytes (pollen) Collinite 845 Insulator Wax is probably the most durable Carnauba wax product; but this may only provide enough of a barrier to enable it to be removed quickly before causing too much damage to the paint film surface

Information resource:
Wikipedia Dictionary - http://en.wikipedia.org/####/Pollens
Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition - http://info.britannica.co.uk

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[Mike T]

Interesting read. Thank you.
Speaking of the sky falling, I had a customer come in the other day and told me she got a ticket on Alligator Alley because an alligator fell from the sky and she ran it over. No lie

[Corvette Junkie]

Thanks for the info.

[dengood1]

I figured it must stick better to nuba as I just qd my vehicle yesterday and it's covered again. I thought we should be throught the pollen season by now......seems to have started a couple of months ago here in Fl.. DP4-1, here I come. Then some FK 425........I'll make it hard on them little buggers to stick:_

[wytstang]

As well as being allergic pollen is also very abrasive (due to its exine or barbs) and slightly acidic dust, especially when mixed with moisture and should therefore be removed from paint surfaces as soon as is practicable.

I did not know that (slightly acidic dust), damn both my cars have be covers in it for a while now. Great just when I though I could just give up and wait till it's over I find it's acidic and has barbs.

[MadOzodi]

Hmmm, what sealant to use for spring.....