Editorial handling by M. Kersten a b s t r a c tSurface soils from a 19 km 2 area in east London, UK were analysed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) (n = 76).P 16 PAH ranged from 4 to 67 mg/kg (mean, 18 mg/ kg) and P 50 PAH ranged from 6 to 88 mg/kg (mean, 25 mg/kg).P 7 PCB ranged from 1 to 750 lg/kg (mean, 22 lg/kg) and P tri-hepta PCB ranged 9 to 2600 lg/kg (mean, 120 lg/kg). Compared to other international cities concentrations were similar for PAH but higher for PCB. Normal background concentrations (NBC) were calculated and compared to risk-based human health generic assessment criteria (GAC). Benzo[a]pyrene NBC for urban (6.9 mg/kg), semi-urban (4.4 mg/kg) and urban + semi urban (6 mg/kg) domains exceed residential (1 mg/kg) and allotment (2.2 mg/kg) LQM/CIEH GAC (at 6% SOM) and the Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene NBC for urban (6.8 mg/kg) and urban + semi-urban (5.2 mg/kg) domains exceed the residential (4.2 mg/kg) LQM/CIEH GAC (at 6% SOM). Capsule Abstract: Normal background concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls are elevated in east London soils and in some cases exceed regulatory assessment criteria.