CITY AIR-POLLUTION OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS AND OTHER MUTAGENS - OCCURRENCE, SOURCES AND HEALTH-EFFECTS

The presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), mutagens and o ther air pollutants was investigated in a busy street in central Copen hagen and in a park area adjacent to the street. The winter concentrat ion of benzo(a)pyrene was 4.4+/-1.2 ng/m(3) in the street air and 1.4/-0.6 ng/m(3) in the city park. The atmospheric concentrations of PAH decreased in the order of: street > city background air similar to sub urbs > village > open land. The traffic contribution of PAH to street air was estimated to be 90% on working days and 60% during weekends an d its contribution to city background air was estimated to be 40%. Fou r different approaches to evaluate the health effects are discussed. T he direct effect of PAH air pollution, and other mutagens, is consider ed to be a maximum of five lung cancer cases each year out of one mill ion people.