Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3 Environmental Chemistry Letters https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-017-0697-0 REVIEW Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon derivatives in airborne particulate matter: sources, analysis and toxicity Imane Abbas 1  · Ghidaa Badran 1,2,3  · Anthony Verdin 2  · Frédéric Ledoux 2  · Mohamed Roumié 1  · Dominique Courcot 2  · Guillaume Garçon 3 Received: 27 November 2017 / Accepted: 29 November 2017 © Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018 Abstract Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are worldwide pollutants produced mainly during incomplete combustion and pyrolysis of organic substances. PAH derivatives are components with hydrogen on the aromatic ring substituted by car- bonyl-, nitro- and hydroxyl-functional groups (N-PAH, O-PAH or OH-PAH), or a group of heterocyclic PAHs containing one sulfur atom in place of a carbon atom in the aromatic ring. PAHs and their derivatives can be either introduced in the atmosphere directly in this form as primary pollutants, or formed by homogenous and heterogeneous oxidation reactions. During the last decades, interest on studying PAH derivatives has increased because derivatives may be more harmful than parent compounds. PAH derivatives have been detected in the atmospheric particulate matter in numerous cities worldwide. PAH derivatives enter living organisms by inhalation, oral ingestion and dermal contact. In vivo and in vitro experiments together with epidemiological studies have shown the toxic efects of PAH derivatives, notably for compounds present in airborne and diesel exhaust particles. Here we review the sources, the mechanisms of formation, the physicochemical properties, the analytical methods, and the toxicological efects of PAHs and their derivatives in airborne particulate matter. Keywords N-PAHs · O-PAHs · OH-PAHs · PASHs · Particulate matter · Toxicity Abbreviations AhR Aryl hydrocarbon receptor APSE Accelerated/pressurized solvent extraction B[a]P Benzo[a]pyrene CLD Chemiluminescence detector CPAHs Combustion-related PAHs DPM Diesel particulate matter ECD Electron capture detector GC–EI/MS Gas chromatography–electron impact/ mass spectrometry GC Gas chromatography HFBA Heptafuorobutyric anhydride HPLC High-performance liquid chromatography LC-APCI/MS Liquid chromatography–atmospheric pressure chemical ionization/mass spectrometry LOH Loss of heterozygosity MAE Microwave-assisted extraction MDA Malonaldehyde MN Micronuclei MS Mass spectrometry N-PAHs Nitrated PAHs NA Nuclear abnormalities NCD Nitrogen chemiluminescence detector NCI-MS Ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry NICI Negative ion chemical ionization NPD Nitrogen and phosphorus selective detector O-PAHs Oxygenated PAHs Oct-4 Octamer-4 OH-PAHs Hydroxylated PAHs PASHs Sulfur heterocycles PAHs PFE Pressurized fuid extraction PM Particulate matter * Imane Abbas imane.abbas@cnrs.edu.lb 1 Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission – NCSR, Beirut, Lebanon 2 Unité de Chimie Environnementale et Interactions sur le Vivant, EA4492-UCEIV, Univ. Littoral Côte d’Opale, Dunkirk, France 3 CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, EA4483-IMPacts de l’Environnement Chimique sur la Santé Humaine (IMPECS), Univ. Lille, Lille, France