Assessing the magnitude of PM2.5 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emissions from residential solid fuel combustion and associated health hazards in South Asia

In South Asia, combustion of solid fuel for residential heating and cooking is a major emission source particulate-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (p-PAHs), potent carcinogen human health. The factors (EFs) diagnostic ratios PAHs currently used in regional inventory models have been estimated from controlled laboratory tests, which do not accurately reflect real-world scenarios observed rural Indian households. Consequently, the health effects associated with p-PAH levels indoor ambient air could be severely underestimated undervalued. We performed nationwide study across ten different states subcontinent to evaluate EFs sixteen U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identified high priority p-PAHs emitted biomass combustion. Our average annual were 2.4–18.3 fold higher than those reported previous laboratory-based investigations. Carcinogenic toxicity analysis shows that dung cake coal ball, both widely fuels, posed most risk (80% 59% respectively) comparison other owing predominant benzo[a]pyrene. findings underscore importance improved testing field validations as crucial steps toward more accurate inventories better assessment public impacts.