最近，由于快速城市化和工业化，污染物，尤其是城市尘土，对人类环境构成了许多威胁。多环芳烃（PAHs）被认为是广泛存在、持久性和致癌性的主要危险污染物。本研究旨在调查伊朗阿瓦兹、伊斯法罕和设拉子三个城市的城市尘土样品中PAHs的污染和来源，并评估16种优先考虑的PAHs对癌症风险的影响。我们使用气相色谱-质谱联用（GC-MS）技术测量PAHs的浓度。阿瓦兹、伊斯法罕和设拉子的16种PAHs的平均浓度分别为6215.11、7611.03和7810.37 μg kg-1。阿瓦兹表现出低分子量（LMW）PAHs的主导性，而伊斯法罕和设拉子表现出高分子量（HMW）PAHs的最大贡献。为了识别PAHs的来源，我们使用了诊断比率、相关性分析、聚类和正矩阵因子分解（PMF）模型。在所有城市中，PAHs主要来自燃烧（煤和木材、石油、化石燃料）以及汽油/柴油引擎排放。比较研究表明，除了中国和印度外，研究区域的PAHs水平高于其他国家。此外，与之前同一城市的研究相比，城市尘土中PAHs的污染随时间增加。使用增量寿命癌症风险（ILCR）模型评估了暴露于受污染的尘土中的PAHs对癌症的风险。根据研究结果，在阿瓦兹、伊斯法罕和设拉子中观察到了较高的癌症暴露风险。然而，与成年人相比，儿童在日常生活中通过皮肤接触和无意中摄入的方式更容易患癌症。根据ILCR值，癌症风险排序为设拉子 > 伊斯法罕 > 阿瓦兹。为了评估空气污染物及其对城市尘土的影响，我们利用Sentinel-5P上的TROPOMI数据研究了2018年至2021年间的三个城市。结果显示，阿瓦兹的CO水平较高。此外，伊斯法罕的NO2水平较高，而设拉子的O3水平较低。根据卫星时间序列数据，吸收气溶胶指数（AAI）呈上升趋势，而COVID-19大流行开始后的12个月内AAI呈下降趋势。因此，城市尘土PAHs的自然和人为来源在所有研究的城市中都在增加。我们的研究结果显示，城市尘土中的PAH化合物对人类健康构成重要威胁。因此，在减少城市尘土污染方面，战略管理和规划至关重要。© 2023. 作者，专属于Springer Nature Switzerland AG的独家许可。

Recently, for quick urbanization and industrialization, pollutants, especially urban dust, have posed many threats to the human environment. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are regarded as the main dangerous pollutants that are widespread, persistent, and carcinogenic. The present work aimed to investigate the contamination and sources of PAHs, as well as to assess the risk of cancer for 16 priority PAHs, in urban dust samples in Ahvaz, Isfahan, and Shiraz cities in Iran. We measured PAH concentrations by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The average concentrations of the 16 PAHs in Ahvaz, Isfahan, and Shiraz were 6215.11, 7611.03, and 7810.37 μg kg-1, respectively. The domination of low-molecular-weight (LMW) PAHs was observed in Ahvaz, while maximum contribution was observed for high-molecular-weight (HMW) PAHs in Esfahan and Shiraz. For PAHs' source identification, diagnostic ratio, correlation analysis, clustering, and positive matrix factorization (PMF) model were used. PAHs had a combustion (coal and wood, oil, fossil fuels) and gasoline/diesel engine emissions in all cities. Comparative studies suggest that the PAH compounds' level is higher in the research area than in other countries, except for China and India. Also, the pollution of urban dust PAHs has increased over time compared to previous studies in the same cities. The cancer risk from exposure to dust contaminated with PAHs was assessed using the Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR) model. According to the findings, a high risk of exposure to cancer was observed in Ahvaz, Isfahan, and Shiraz. However, compared to adults, children are at higher risk of cancer in their daily lives via dermal contact and unconscious ingestion. Based on the ILCR values, the risk of cancer is in the order of Shiraz > Isfahan > Ahvaz. To assess air pollutants and their effects on urban dust, TROPOMI onboard the Sentinel-5P data were used in the studied cities during 2018-2021. The results show that Ahvaz has different high levels of CO compared to the other 2 cities. Also, Isfahan has different high levels of NO2 compared to the other 2 cities, but Shiraz has different low levels of O3. According to satellite time series data, the trend of the Aerosol Absorbing Index (AAI) has been increasing, while there was a decreasing trend in AAI from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic until 12 months later. Therefore, the natural and anthropogenic sources of urban dust PAHs have been increasing in all studied cities. Our findings show that PAH compounds in urban dust pose a significant threat to human health. Therefore, strategic management and planning are vital in reducing urban dust pollution.© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.