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Volume 14
Issue 3
10.3390/toxics14030223
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Article

Target and Non-Target Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Emerging Aromatic Contaminants in Outdoor Dust from a Petrochemical-Impacted Residential Area

by
Yimeng Si
1,2,
Siyuan Li
2,
Yu Wang
2,3,*,
Hao Chen
2,
Yanlong Zhang
2,
Shaoping Kuang
1,* and
Hongwen Sun
2
1
College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
2
MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
3
Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Environmental Technology Research Center, Shenzhen Research Institute of Nankai University, Shenzhen 518063, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Toxics 2026, 14(3), 223; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14030223
Submission received: 30 January 2026 / Revised: 25 February 2026 / Accepted: 3 March 2026 / Published: 5 March 2026
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Highlights

What are the main findings?
  • PAHs and diverse PAH derivatives co-occurred in residential outdoor dust.
  • Non-target screening revealed 29 additional PACs beyond conventional PAHs.
  • Several newly identified PACs showed higher predicted toxicity than parent PAHs.
What is the implication of the main findings?
  • Ignoring PAH derivatives may lead to underestimation of dust-related health risks.

Abstract

The complex contamination characteristics and potential health risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives remain poorly understood. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of 16 parent PAHs and 34 derivatives was conducted in outdoor dust samples collected from a residential area constructed on an abandoned petrochemical site. The results showed that the total concentrations of PAHs, oxidized PAHs, nitro-PAHs, brominated PAHs, and chlorinated PAHs were in the ranges of 75.3–991 ng/g, 9.27–142 ng/g, 1.68–265 ng/g, 15.2–100 ng/g, and 1.23–14.8 ng/g, respectively. Additionally, the non-target screening analysis identified 29 potential aromatic compounds in dust samples. Toxicity assessment indicated that several PAH derivatives and newly identified compounds exhibited stronger acute toxicity than PAHs (ECOSAR model prediction). Incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) values of target compounds ranged from 1.54 × 10−7 to 2.95 × 10−6 for adults and from 5.08 × 10−8 to 9.75 × 10−7 for children. Oral ingestion was identified as the dominant exposure pathway, accounting for 83.5% of total exposure, followed by dermal contact (16.5%). Overall, these findings highlight the complexity of human exposure to PAHs and related aromatic contaminants in petrochemical-impacted residential areas and underscore the need for continued attention to their associated environmental and health risks.
Keywords: PAH; PAH derivatives; incremental lifetime cancer risk; non-target analysis PAH; PAH derivatives; incremental lifetime cancer risk; non-target analysis
Graphical Abstract

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Si, Y.; Li, S.; Wang, Y.; Chen, H.; Zhang, Y.; Kuang, S.; Sun, H. Target and Non-Target Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Emerging Aromatic Contaminants in Outdoor Dust from a Petrochemical-Impacted Residential Area. Toxics 2026, 14, 223. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14030223

AMA Style

Si Y, Li S, Wang Y, Chen H, Zhang Y, Kuang S, Sun H. Target and Non-Target Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Emerging Aromatic Contaminants in Outdoor Dust from a Petrochemical-Impacted Residential Area. Toxics. 2026; 14(3):223. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14030223

Chicago/Turabian Style

Si, Yimeng, Siyuan Li, Yu Wang, Hao Chen, Yanlong Zhang, Shaoping Kuang, and Hongwen Sun. 2026. "Target and Non-Target Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Emerging Aromatic Contaminants in Outdoor Dust from a Petrochemical-Impacted Residential Area" Toxics 14, no. 3: 223. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14030223

APA Style

Si, Y., Li, S., Wang, Y., Chen, H., Zhang, Y., Kuang, S., & Sun, H. (2026). Target and Non-Target Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Emerging Aromatic Contaminants in Outdoor Dust from a Petrochemical-Impacted Residential Area. Toxics, 14(3), 223. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14030223

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