Ecological and health risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in particulate matter in Chinese cities

A number of studies have reported the contents of PAHs (polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons) in PM (particulate matter) in cities. These studies
were published from 2000 to 2019 and include analyses of PAH contamination
in response to rapid socioeconomic development in China, considering
population increases, growing energy demand, and increases in industrial
production. Publications in the scientific literature were selected
following the eligibility criteria described below. Original studies
published in English databases (e.g., Elsevier, Springer, and Wiley) and
excellent works published in Chinese databases (e.g., CNKI, CQVIP, and
Wanfang Data) were included. We searched for papers and books with the
keywords “polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon in the particulate matter”, “PAH
in the particulate matter”, “polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon in PM”, “PAH
in PM”, and “City, China”. Thus, we retrieved almost all the relevant
reports about PAHs in PM in Chinese cities. After removing duplicate or
incomplete data, we collected data on the contents of 16 PAHs in PM in 89
cities in 34 provinces of China.