BACKGROUND Inhalation is one of the main means of human exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) because of their ubiquitous presence in the atmosphere. However, most studies have considered only PAHs found in the particle phase and have omitted the contribution of the gas-phase PAHs to the risk. OBJECTIVE We estimated the lifetime lung cancer risk from PAH exposure by inhalation i...

The status of organic pollution in groundwater in eastern China along the Grand Canal from Hangzhou to Beijing was evaluated. Forty-two semi-volatile organic contaminants were analyzed, including 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), seven polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 12 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and seven organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs). Among the detected contaminants, PA...

In order to better understand the particle size distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their source contribution to human respiratory system, sizeresolved PAHs have been studied in ambient aerosols at a megacity Shanghai site during a 1-year period (2012–2013). The results showed the PAHs had a bimodal distribution with one mode peak in the fine-particle size range (0.4–2.1...

Comprehensive studies on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) within an urban river are urgently needed to carry out strategies to limit their contamination and dispersal. Here, we analyzed 16 PAH occurrences in water, suspended particulate matter (SPM), and sediment monthly for a year in the Maozhou River mainstream (Shenzhen, South China). Monthly rainfall positively correlated with both t...

Twenty eight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined for a total of 203 top soil samples collected from eight different land categories in Shenzhen, China during the winter of 2007. The concentrations, compositional profile, and the potential sources of PAHs in soil were discussed. Overall, PAH pollution in the soil of Shenzhen is still in the low-end of the world after 30 years...

In the present review article focus on highlighting the sources, properties and health risks of carcinogenic PAHs both on human health and environment. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) comprises a broad family of compounds that are also described as semi volatile organic compounds (SVOC). This term refers to the fact that PAHs are distributed between gas and particle phases. In fast budd...

Providing quantitative information on the sources of PM2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban regions is vital to establish effective abatement strategies for air pollution in a megacity. In this study, based on a year data set from October 2011 to August 2012, the sources of PM2.5-bound 16 USEPA priority PAHs (16 PAHs) in Shanghai, a megacity in China, were apportioned by p...

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a large group of organic compounds with two or more fused aromatic rings. They have a relatively low solubility in water, but are highly lipophilic. Most of the PAHs with low vapour pressure in the air are adsorbed on particles. When dissolved in water or adsorbed on particulate matter, PAHs can undergo photodecomposition when exposed to ultraviolet l...

We collected soil samples at 23 sites from the petroleum contaminated soils (PC) in the west of Kermanshah province to investigate the sources and ecological risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In this study, source apportionment has been carried out using Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF).The total PAHs concentration, have a mean value of 92.79 mg/kg, ranging from 7.37 to 609.67...