Abstract
Accumulated epidemiological and animal studies have suggested that prolonged exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and pulmonary dysfunction. While diesel exhaust particles (DEP) contain large variety of compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a dominant component contaminated in DEP. This article reviews effects of two PAH quinones, 9,10-phenanthraquinone (9,10-PQ) and l,2-naphthoquinone (l,2-NQ), on vascular and respiratory systems.