Urban Air Pollution and Food Safety: A Comparative Study of PAH Contamination in Fruits Sold Outdoors and Indoors

Urban air pollution is a major public health concern, especially in densely populated cities. This problem also includes food safety issues in outdoor retail environments, where fresh products may be exposed to airborne pollutants. This study examines the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on fruits sold at indoor and outdoor locations across Budapest and several Hungarian cities. Results showed higher PAH concentrations on fruit sold outdoors, with benzo[a]pyrene (BAP) exceeding 2 µg/kg in 62% of outdoor samples and in 22% of indoor ones. Washing with water reduced contamination by 40–50% on average, with some samples showing over 65% reduction for BAP. Differences across fruit types were limited overall, though statistically significant for BAP in certain cases, highlighting compound-specific variability. Correlation analysis revealed weak but interpretable associations between PAH levels and ambient air quality indicators, with a moderate correlation for fine particulate matter ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5) (r = 0.4355) and a weaker one for the calculated Air Quality Index (AQI) (r = 0.2148). These findings suggest that while urban microenvironments influence contamination, the general air quality indices may not predict surface PAH burden reliably. The study highlights the role of public wells in enabling citizen-level mitigation through rinsing and calls for integrated urban health strategies considering food exposure alongside infrastructural access.