PAH, total

Vehicle exhaust; wildfires and wood/coal stoves; cigarette smoke; industrial combustion; asphalt and coal‑tar products (sealants, creosote); and grilled or smoked foods [1][2].

Breathing polluted air or smoke; eating charred/smoked foods; skin contact with contaminated soil, soot, asphalt/coal‑tar sealants or creosote; and certain jobs (paving, roofing, coke ovens, aluminum) [1][2].

Short exposures can irritate eyes/skin and cause coughing; long-term exposure to some PAHs increases cancer risk; higher levels may affect lungs, immune system, and development before birth [1][3].

People who smoke or breathe secondhand smoke; workers around hot asphalt/coal‑tar; residents near heavy traffic or industry; users of wood stoves; pregnant people, infants, and children [1][2].

Don’t smoke; avoid smoke and heavy traffic; cook with lower heat and avoid charring; ventilate kitchens; remove shoes and wet‑dust; choose asphalt‑based (not coal‑tar) sealants; follow workplace protections [1][2].