Quantification and health impact assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emissions from crop residue combustion.

Emission of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon compounds from combustion of crop residue was investigated. Crop residues comprising maize cobs, maize husks, rice husks and bean chaff were burnt in a furnace at a temperature of 400 °C and the emissions from the combustion process were characterized using standard methods. Health risk through inhalation was assessed using toxic equivalent factors and excess lifetime cancer risk.