Emissions, health risk, and policy impact on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon release in Hangzhou, China:...

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent organic pollutants that pose significant environmental and health risks, especially in rapidly urbanizing cities such as Hangzhou, China. Understanding the spatiotemporal dynamics of PAH emissions, distribution, and health risks is essential for developing effective control strategies. In this study, PAH emissions in Hangzhou from 2010 to 2022 were estimated and their multimedia environmental distribution was simulated using a Level IV fugacity model. Python (with PyCharm 2022.3.3) was used to perform modeling, data processing, and visualization. Annual PAH emissions (t/year) increased from 158.33 in 2010 to a peak of 205.53 in 2018, then declined to 193.96 by 2022. Simulated concentrations showed that soil and sediment act as long-term sinks for PAHs, while aerosol-phase concentrations in the atmosphere respond most rapidly to changes in emissions. Future projections suggest a compositional shift from high molecular weight (HMW) to low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs. An Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR) model was applied to evaluate human exposure risks, showing that sediment is the dominant exposure medium, particularly via dermal contact and inhalation. This study provides a dynamic, long-term assessment of PAH emissions, environmental fate, and health risks in an urban setting, offering methodological insights for future pollutant management and public health policy development.