Annual exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban environments linked to wintertime wood-burning episodes

Abstract. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are organic pollutants in fine particulate matter (PM) long known to have mutagenic and carcinogenic effects, but much is unknown about the importance of local remote sources for PAH levels observed population-dense urban environments. A year-long sampling campaign Athens, Greece, where more than 150 samples were analyzed 31 PAHs a wide range chemical markers, was combined with positive matrix factorization (PMF) constrain temporal variability, sources, risk associated PAHs. It found that biomass burning (BB), source mostly present during wintertime intense pollution events (observed 18 % measurement days 2017), led 7 times higher other seasons as important annual mean concentrations (31 %) diesel oil (33 gasoline (29 sources. The contribution non-local although limited on an basis (7 %), increased summer, becoming comparable combined. fraction (12 members included PMF analysis) BB also linked health compared accounting almost half potential (43 %). This can result large number excess cancer cases due BB-related high PM urges immediate action reduce residential emissions areas facing similar issues.