Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Settled House Dust

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are organic compounds which generated from high-temperature incomplete combustion processes. A major route of exposure to PAHs occurs in the indoor residential environment. PAHs can sorb into dust particles, and resuspension of these particles mobilizes potentially toxic compounds. The sources of indoor PAHs are still poorly understood. In this study, we examine the results from the Fire Ash Characterization and Evaluation of Toxicity (FACET) study. We found that the profile of PAHs in indoor house dust resembled that from vehicular emissions and/or local oil sand processing operations. We also investigated the effects of the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire and found limited impacts on PAH levels. Total PAH levels are lower in the winter, likely due to an increase in wet deposition to snowfall. The change of vapor pressure of PAHs under different seasons also shapes the overall PAH profile in Fort McMurray.M.A.S