Сибирский федеральный университет. Siberian Federal University
Abstract
Many countries pay increasing attention to problems of environmental safety and control of pollutants
emission. Thereat the problem of presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in environment
becomes urgent because this substances are ubiquitous pollutants and some of them have carcinogenic
properties. PAHs and their derivatives appears in the processes of incomplete combustion of organic
substances. PAHs concentrations vary considerably in urban and rural places under influence of
vehicular traffic, heat power plant and industrial activity. Some countries set non-mandatory ambient
air quality standards for the PAHs. This fact shows pollutants of this class is to be given significant
attention. This paper presents some up-to-date data related with sources of atmospheric PAHs,
methods of their determination and processes affecting their concentration