Distribution of
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and
polychlorinated biphenyls (
PCBs) in urban
soils, and their risk for humans was evaluated and presented in this article. The average concentration of ∑16PAHs, ∑carcinogenic PAHs, ∑28PCBs and ∑dioxin-like
PCBs was 631.6 ± 244.5 μg kg(-1), 568.8 ± 238.8 μg kg(-1), 11.57 ± 2.00 μg kg(-1) and 2.58 ± 0.34 μg kg(-1), respectively. Environmental and human health risk assessment parameters such as
benzo(a)pyrene total potency equivalent (BaP TPE), index of additive
cancer risk (IACR), life time average daily dose (LADD) and incremental lifetime
cancer risk (ILCR) have been estimated and discussed. The average
benzo(a)pyrene total potency equivalent (BaP TPE) estimate was 0.194 mg kg(-1) and ranging between 8.9×10(-4) to 0.87 mg kg(-1). The incremental life time
cancer risk (ILCR) of PAHs through soil ingestion for adults and children was estimated
as 8.1×10(-6) and 4.2×10(-5), respectively. However, the
cancer risk (ILCR) from non-
dioxin-like
PCBs and
dioxin-like
PCBs for adults and children ranged between 3.31×10(-8) to 1.741×10(-7) and 1.46×10(-5) to 7.56×10(-5), respectively. These estimated risks were lower than acceptable limits, based on incremental
cancer risk from soil exposure. Overall, index of additive
cancer risk (IACR) and hazard quotient (HQ) for PAHs and
PCBs was lower than safe limit of 1, indicating no environmental and human health risk from PAHs and
PCBs in this area of study.