Chemical investigation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon sources in an urban area with complex air quality challenges.

ABSTRACT: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are hazardous air pollutants with well-documented carcinogenic, mutagenic, and toxic effects. This study investigates the chemical composition and sources of PAHs in Kraków, a city characterized by diverse air quality challenges. PM10 and PM2.5 samples were collected during the winter seasons of 2014 and 2015, enabling a detailed assessment of PAH concentrations and their atmospheric transformations. The results indicate that PAH levels frequently exceeded European Union and World Health Organization limits, with benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) reaching peak concentrations of 38.8 ng m^-3 in PM10 and 30.2 ng m^-3 in PM2.5, highlighting significant health risks. To determine PAH sources, a chemical-based framework integrating diagnostic ratio

SUBMITTER: Szramowiat-Sala K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11865544 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature