This work estimates the carcinogenic potential of PAH in different
indoor and outdoor microenvironments and discusses for the first
time, the contribution of indoor and outdoor microenvironments to
the total carcinogenic risk from inhalation. The study highlights the
importance of indoor environments. On the other hand, diet, which
was not included in this study, is another important route of exposure
to PAHs, becoming the dominant source in subjects who do not
smoke, are not occupationally exposed or do not use biomass for
heating or cooking (Menzie et al., 1992; WHO, 2000). However, the
risks of inhalation exposure as a cause of lung cancer are better
quantified than for systemic intakes of PAH including via the G.I. tract.