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Highway toll station workers' occupational exposure levels and health effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been analyzed through personal particulate sampling and urinary biomonitoring during March-May, 2014 in Tianjin, China. Personal particulate samples were collected during highway toll station workers' day shift working time (from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Pre-shift and post-shift spot urine samples were collected on each participant. In personal particulate samples, 16 priority PAHs suggested by USEPA were measured, and in the urine samples oxidative stress biomarker (8-OHdG) was analyzed. The measured mean occupational exposed concentration of PM2.5 was 230.73 μg m−3, and the mean p-PAHs exposed concentration was 319.90 ng m−3 for the selected workers. Urinary concentrations of 8-OHdG increased by two times following an 8-h work shift in participants. Significant positive associations were found between post-work shift urinary 8-OHdG and p-PAH concentrations. Our finding indicated that personal air exposures to PAHs originating from traffic emissions are important in increasing oxidative burdens in human body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]