ABSTRACT
Transportation includes different mobile sources of air quality providing services and comfort, but causing serious health problems of which most people are unaware. Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) containing matter are one of the precursors of such problems; it may enter the human body via the respiratory and digestive track, and the skin. In cities, mobile sources, including working machinery contribute to the main atmospheric emissions. Quantitative risk estimates of PAHs as air pollutants are very uncertain because of the lack of useful and reliable data. In Puerto Rico (PR) the PAHs impacts on marine environment are evidence of potential public risks. The lack of an environmental health network shows need of more research and awareness. To form a basis for action against PAHs in the environment, frequent monitoring of selected species under various conditions is essential. This chapter overviews the needs for PAHs monitoring and review how bromeliad Tillandsia sp can be employed in PR for this work where 15 species are found, the most abundant Tillandsia recurvata. Innovation and appropriate experimental design is required to attain this goal. These plants enhance environmental indoor and outdoor data acquisition and consequently foster environmental risk assessment studies and sustainable development.
