Urban air pollution by carcinogenic and genotoxic polyaromatic hydrocarbons in the former USSR

The content of major carcinogenic and genotoxic polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in urban air, vehicle, and industrial emissions is assessed. A sensitive, specific, and selective method for PAH and nitro-PAH quantitation was developed on the basis of low-temperature luminescence-spectra of frozen polycrystalline solutions. Polyarene contents in urban air and urban industrial emissions, as well as vehicle exhausts, are compared to the Russian Ministry of Health standard of maximal permissible concentration for benzo[a]pyrene in the ambient air. Special attention was paid to the study of PAH profiles and characteristics of different sources. The feasibility of using benzo[a]pyrene to assess PAH content in industrial and vehicle emissions was explored. PAH profiles in the ambient air and local emissions are compared. In addition, genotoxicity of the emissions of coke plant and diesel engine exhausts are compared to their polyarene content.