Abstract Soil represents a major terrestrial reservoir of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that influence their atmospheric concentrations through volatilization processes. This study examines the distribution, seasonal variability, and air–soil exchange of key organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) (i.e., ΣDDTs, ΣHCHs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soils and air from industrial, agricultural, and urban areas in three Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cities (Peshawar, Swabi, Haripur), Pakistan.
