森林火灾是极端的自然/人为事件，释放了多环芳烃（PAHs），这些物质具有致癌性。释放的大部分PAHs被困在燃烧后的灰烬中，其中一部分被输送并沉积到不同的介质中，如土壤和水。强降雨事件后，PAHs通过地表径流进入水体，从而恶化水质。需关注火灾后PAHs水平的变化以及由森林火灾释放的PAHs对人体健康的风险。本研究旨在阐明土壤和水体受PAHs污染暴露所导致的PAHs水平和模式，并评估其健康风险。森林火灾释放的低分子量PAHs（LMW PAHs）比高分子量PAHs（HMW PAHs）的比例更高。灰烬和烧毁的土壤中含有较高比例的LMW PAHs，因为生物质燃烧释放了大量的LMW PAHs。而沉积物中含有较高比例的HMW PAHs，因为大部分的LMW PAHs已经被降解。由于其更高的氧化潜能，HMW PAHs对人类（包括癌症和非癌症）造成了更高的风险。暴露于受PAHs污染的水体导致了巴尼苯当量和PAHs混合物的较高健康风险。接触沉积物导致的健康风险最高，这是由于其中较高比例的HMW PAHs，其次是地表水、灰烬和未燃烧的土壤。表皮暴露导致的癌症和非癌症风险更高于口腔摄入。沉积物中的PAHs混合物导致儿童皮肤暴露的平均风险更高（癌症为2.21E+00，非癌症为7.69E+03），成年人口腔癌症风险更高（7.11E-03）。然而，暴露于沉积物中的巴尼苯当量导致了儿童口腔非癌症风险更高（7.01E+02）。因此，需要在土壤和地表水介质中进行有效的PAHs监测，以处理用于饮用水供应的地表水。版权所有 © 2023. 由Elsevier B.V.出版。

Forest fires were extreme natural/artificial events releasing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are carcinogenic. Most of the released PAHs are trapped in burnt ash, a part of which was transported and settled on different mediums like soil and water. After strong rainfall events, PAHs enter into surface water bodies through surface runoff, thereby deteriorating water quality. Changes in PAHs levels during the post-fire duration and human health risks due to PAHs released from forest fires need attention. This study aimed to explain the levels and patterns of PAHs and health risks due to exposure to soil and water contaminated with PAHs. Forest fires release a higher percentage of low molecular weight PAHs (LMW PAHs) than high molecular weight PAHs (HMW PAHs). Ash and burnt soils contain a higher percentage of LMW PAHs, since biomass burning releases huge amounts of LMW PAHs. Whereas, sediments contain a higher percentage of HMW PAHs since most of the LMW PAHs are already degraded. HMW PAHs were causing higher risk to humans (both cancer and non-cancer) due to their higher oxidation potential. Exposure to water contaminated by PAHs resulted in higher health risks for both BaP equivalent and a mixture of PAHs. Exposure to sediment produced the highest health risk due to a higher percentage of HMW PAHs, followed by surface water, ash, and unburnt soil. Cancer and non-cancer risk due to dermal exposure was more elevated than oral exposure. The mixture of PAHs in sediment produced a higher average dermal risk for children (2.21E+00 for cancer and 7.69E+03 for non-cancer risk) and oral cancer risk for adults (7.11E-03). However, exposure to BaP equivalent in sediment produced higher oral non-cancer risk (7.01E+02) for children. Thus, effective PAHs monitoring is required in both soil and surface water mediums to treat surface water for drinking water supply.Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.