Mutagens and carcinogens in city air

: Many urban air pollutants are recognized to be mutagenic and carcinogenic agents. Combustion processes, which generate gaseous and particulate complex mixtures, are responsible for the major part of urban air pollution. Emissions from automotive sources are estimated to be nowadays the main cause of mutagenic/carcinogenic risk for people living in urban areas of industrialized countries. Increasing vehicle traffic also contributes to the presence in urban air of valuable concentrations of asbestos fibers and benzene, both well-known potent carcinogens.