Modelling of benzo(a)pyrene in SE Spain to determine levels, human health factors and climate change effects

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), the only polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) having an established legal limit for its presence in the atmosphere (1 ng/m3 in particulate matter; Directive 2004/107/EC, amended by Regulation 219/2009) was selected as the model semivolatile organic contaminant (SVOC) to evaluate the performance of chemistry transport models (CTMs) when studying those chemicals. The BaP distribution was represented by the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)+CHIMERE system with success, supporting the use of combinatory approaches of field observations and models to extend the awareness about the levels, behaviour and fate of these compounds of concern for humans and the environment.