Benzo[a]Pyrene

Vehicle exhaust, residential wood/coal smoke, industrial processes, wildfires; it settles on soil, dust, and crops [1][3].

Breathing smoky or traffic air; eating grilled/smoked or burnt foods; touching soot, creosote, asphalt; certain jobs (coke ovens, aluminum, paving, chimney/fire cleanup) [1][4].

Raises cancer risk and damages DNA; high or repeated doses can also affect reproduction and development, especially in animals [2][1].

Smokers and those around secondhand smoke; people near busy roads or industry; workers handling PAH‑containing soot/tar; infants, children, and pregnant people [1][4].

Don’t smoke and avoid smoke; limit charred/smoked meats and cut off burnt parts; use clean‑burning heat and good ventilation; follow air‑quality alerts; at work, use protective gear and hygiene to remove soot/tar [1][3][4].