Jang Gyeong-soon, a lead researcher at the Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI) Digital Omics Research Division, noted that the research team identified a total of 646 types of harmful polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) from fine dust samples collected simultaneously from the capitals of South Korea, China, and Mongolia, revealing the differences in composition and ecological toxicity by city on the 22nd.
Previous studies on fine dust mainly focused on confirming emission sources or conducting risk assessments based on the 16 types of PAHs designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). PAHs are organic compounds composed of two or more aromatic rings. However, many more diverse organic components exist in the actual atmosphere, leading to limitations in accurately understanding the characteristics and toxic reality of harmful substances. Differences in sampling times and analysis conditions made comparisons between cities difficult, and comprehensive component analysis considering toxicity was also very limited.
In response, the research team collected fine dust (PM2.5) samples simultaneously from Seoul, Beijing, and Ulaanbaatar from December 2020 to January 2021 through the international joint observation "FRIEND Campaign" led by South Korea to enable comparative analysis under the same conditions.
The collected samples were analyzed using high-resolution analytical equipment. As a result, it was possible to precisely separate and identify a total of 646 types of PAHs and related organic compounds. Subsequently, using a "structure-activity relationship (QSAR)" model that predicts ecological toxicity based on molecular structure, the ecological risk of the detected compounds was calculated, and major PAH components with high toxicity were identified by city.
Jang Gyeong-soon said, "This study is significant in that it precisely analyzes hundreds of harmful PAHs at the molecular level in fine dust from major Northeast Asian cities and scientifically clarifies how toxicity varies by region," adding, "It could practically contribute to the preparation of city-specific air pollution management strategies and strengthening international cooperation systems."
The research results were published online on the 7th in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.
References
Journal of Hazardous Materials (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138536