Articles | Volume 20, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-2911-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-2911-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
11 Mar 2020
Research article |
| 11 Mar 2020
| 11 Mar 2020
How much does traffic contribute to benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon air pollution? Results from a high-resolution North American air quality model centred on Toronto, Canada
Cynthia H. Whaley
Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Climate Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Elisabeth Galarneau
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Paul A. Makar
Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Michael D. Moran
Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Junhua Zhang
Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Cited
22 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Uncovering Benzene Pollution Patterns Using an Interpretable, Setting-Aware Artificial Intelligence Approach I. Bešlić et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14020181
- Ambient polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure and breast cancer risk in a population-based Canadian case–control study P. Hinton et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-024-01866-4
- Traffic Proximity and Recurrent Wheeze Development by Severe Bronchiolitis Status Y. Qi et al. https://doi.org/10.1177/00099228241264359
- Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in the Canadian environment: Ambient air and deposition A. Tevlin et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116232
- What is the spatiotemporal pattern of benzene concentration spread over susceptible area surrounding the Hartman Park community, Houston, Texas? A. Asri et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134666
- Editorial to “Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in the Canadian environment: Overview of results and knowledge gaps from the special issue” E. Galarneau https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117607
- Methodology for Mobile Toxics Deterministic Human Health Risk Assessment and Case Study M. Munshed et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos14030506
- Exposure to ambient polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and early-onset female breast cancer in a case–control study in Ontario, Canada C. Waddingham et al. https://doi.org/10.1097/EE9.0000000000000333
- Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in the Canadian environment: Links to global change D. Muir & E. Galarneau https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116425
- Seasonal Distribution of Pm2.5-Bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons as a Critical Indicator of Air Quality and Health Impact in a Coastal-Urban Region of Poland P. Siudek https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3993357
- NPAHs and OPAHs in the atmosphere of two central European cities: Seasonality, urban-to-background gradients, cancer risks and gas-to-particle partitioning C. Degrendele et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148528
- Portable air purification as a strategy to mitigate indoor exposure to biomass-burning PM2.5 and toxic constituents in northern Italy: A case study S. Fazelvalipour et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaerosci.2026.106763
- Rewiring the nexus between urban traffic pollution-derived polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure and DNA injury via urinary metabolomics Y. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2024.125188
- Benzene and other hazardous air pollutants in consumer-grade natural gas in Europe T. Sparks et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ae499f
- The impact of stay-home policies during Coronavirus-19 pandemic on the chemical and toxicological characteristics of ambient PM2.5 in the metropolitan area of Milan, Italy A. Altuwayjiri et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143582
- The Impact of Russia-Ukraine geopolitical conflict on the air quality and toxicological properties of ambient PM2.5 in Milan, Italy Y. Aghaei et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-55292-2
- Advancing Human Health Risk Assessment Through a Stochastic Methodology for Mobile Source Air Toxics M. Munshed et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments12020054
- The use of nanophotocatalysts for the effective mitigation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in aqueous phase D. Kukkar et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.130026
- Predictors of urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolite concentrations in German children and adolescents using data from the German Environmental Survey 2014 – 2017 (GerES V) A. Roth et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114829
- The Explainable Potential of Coupling Metaheuristics-Optimized-XGBoost and SHAP in Revealing VOCs’ Environmental Fate L. Jovanovic et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos14010109
- Seasonal distribution of PM2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as a critical indicator of air quality and health impact in a coastal-urban region of Poland P. Siudek https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154375
- Characterization of airborne particulate matter and its toxic and proarrhythmic effects: A case study in Aburrá Valley, Colombia L. Palacio et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122475
22 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Uncovering Benzene Pollution Patterns Using an Interpretable, Setting-Aware Artificial Intelligence Approach I. Bešlić et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14020181
- Ambient polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure and breast cancer risk in a population-based Canadian case–control study P. Hinton et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-024-01866-4
- Traffic Proximity and Recurrent Wheeze Development by Severe Bronchiolitis Status Y. Qi et al. https://doi.org/10.1177/00099228241264359
- Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in the Canadian environment: Ambient air and deposition A. Tevlin et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116232
- What is the spatiotemporal pattern of benzene concentration spread over susceptible area surrounding the Hartman Park community, Houston, Texas? A. Asri et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134666
- Editorial to “Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in the Canadian environment: Overview of results and knowledge gaps from the special issue” E. Galarneau https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117607
- Methodology for Mobile Toxics Deterministic Human Health Risk Assessment and Case Study M. Munshed et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos14030506
- Exposure to ambient polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and early-onset female breast cancer in a case–control study in Ontario, Canada C. Waddingham et al. https://doi.org/10.1097/EE9.0000000000000333
- Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in the Canadian environment: Links to global change D. Muir & E. Galarneau https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116425
- Seasonal Distribution of Pm2.5-Bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons as a Critical Indicator of Air Quality and Health Impact in a Coastal-Urban Region of Poland P. Siudek https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3993357
- NPAHs and OPAHs in the atmosphere of two central European cities: Seasonality, urban-to-background gradients, cancer risks and gas-to-particle partitioning C. Degrendele et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148528
- Portable air purification as a strategy to mitigate indoor exposure to biomass-burning PM2.5 and toxic constituents in northern Italy: A case study S. Fazelvalipour et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaerosci.2026.106763
- Rewiring the nexus between urban traffic pollution-derived polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure and DNA injury via urinary metabolomics Y. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2024.125188
- Benzene and other hazardous air pollutants in consumer-grade natural gas in Europe T. Sparks et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ae499f
- The impact of stay-home policies during Coronavirus-19 pandemic on the chemical and toxicological characteristics of ambient PM2.5 in the metropolitan area of Milan, Italy A. Altuwayjiri et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143582
- The Impact of Russia-Ukraine geopolitical conflict on the air quality and toxicological properties of ambient PM2.5 in Milan, Italy Y. Aghaei et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-55292-2
- Advancing Human Health Risk Assessment Through a Stochastic Methodology for Mobile Source Air Toxics M. Munshed et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments12020054
- The use of nanophotocatalysts for the effective mitigation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in aqueous phase D. Kukkar et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.130026
- Predictors of urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolite concentrations in German children and adolescents using data from the German Environmental Survey 2014 – 2017 (GerES V) A. Roth et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114829
- The Explainable Potential of Coupling Metaheuristics-Optimized-XGBoost and SHAP in Revealing VOCs’ Environmental Fate L. Jovanovic et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos14010109
- Seasonal distribution of PM2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as a critical indicator of air quality and health impact in a coastal-urban region of Poland P. Siudek https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154375
- Characterization of airborne particulate matter and its toxic and proarrhythmic effects: A case study in Aburrá Valley, Colombia L. Palacio et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122475
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 28 Jul 2026
Short summary
Benzene and polycyclic aromatic compounds are toxic air pollutants and ubiquitous in the environment. Using a chemical transport model, we have determined the net impact of vehicle emissions on ambient concentrations of these species. Traffic emissions were found to be a significant fraction of ambient pollution in the densely populated modelled region of North America. Our simulations demonstrate the air quality benefits that would result from transitioning to a zero-emission vehicle fleet.
Benzene and polycyclic aromatic compounds are toxic air pollutants and ubiquitous in the...
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