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PM2.5-bound metal contaminants are associated with multiple chronic diseases in human. At global level, the contamination status has not been well controlled yet. Here we report findings from a long-term air pollution surveillance in Jinan city of Shandong, China. During 2014–2022, the dynamics and trends of PM2.5-bound heavy metal contaminants were monitored in an industrial area and a downtown area. The surveillance targets included: antimony (Sb), aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), beryllium (Be), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se). The human exposure and health risks were calculated and we found that the health risks of most contaminants showed peak values in autumn and winter. But Al, Mn, Hg and Be were found to result in highest health risk in spring or summer in the downtown area. In the industrial area we identified 100% alarming health index >1 (ranged from 1.12 to 3.35) in autumn and winter. In winter the total non-carcinogenic HI was all above 1 (peak value 2.21). Mn and As together posed >85% non-carcinogenic risk. As and Cd were ranked as major drivers of carcinogenic risks (5.84 × 10−6 and 2.78 × 10−6). Pd and Cd both showed non-negligible environmental levels but risk assessment model for their air-exposure associated non-carcinogenic risks are not yet available. This study updates air pollution data and status for air pollution status in China. This study provides valuable 9 year long-term reference to experimental and field studies in the related fields. [Display omitted] • PM2.5-bound metals demonstrate element- and season-dependent environmental performances. • Jinan industrial area showed alarming health risk in cold seasons of 2014–2022. • Mn and As together pose >85% of total non-carcinogenic health risk associated with PM2.5-bound metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We established long-term surveillance sites in Jinan city to monitor PM 2.5 particles (PM2.5) and PM2.5-bound PAHs (2014–2020). The range of PM2.5 was 15–230 µg/m3. The average annual ƩPAH 16 were 433 ± 271 ng/m3 (industrial area) and 299 ± 171.8 ng/m3 (downtown). PAHs captured in winter accounted for 61.5% (industrial area) and 59.1% (downtown) of total PAHs. A hazardous seasonal benzo[ a ]pyrene level was detected in 2015–2016 winter as 14.03 ng/m3 (14 folds of EU standard). The dominant PM2.5-bound PAHs were benzo[ b ]fluoranthene (24–26%), chrysene (19–20%), benzo[ g , h , i ]perylene (15%), Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene (12%) and Benzo[ a ]pyrene (10%). Toxic equivalent quotients of PAHs were 4.93 ng/m3 (industrial area) and 3.13 ng/m3 (downtown). Excess cancer risks (ECRs) were 4.3 × 10−4 ng/m3 and 2.7 × 10−4 ng/m3, respectively. The ECRs exceeded EPA regulatory limit of 1 × 10−6 ng/m3 largely. Non-negligible excess lifetime cancer risks were found as 36 and 26 related cancer incidences per 1,000,000 people. Consistently, local prevalence of lung cancer raise from 56.97/100,000 to 72.38/100,000; the prevalence of thyroid cancer raise from 10.12/100,000 to 45.26/100,000 from 2014 to 2020. Our findings suggest an urgent need to investigate the adverse health effects of PAHs on local population and we call for more strictly restriction on coal consumption and traffic tail gas emission. [Display omitted] • The dominant detected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have 4-ring structures. • From 2014–2020, 93% monthly values of particulate matter-2.5 exceeded 35 µg/m3. • Excess cancer risk unit was 4.3 × 10−4 ng/m3 in the industrial area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]