Solvent　extractable　organic　compounds　in　PM2.5　samples　collected　in　Taizhou,　a　city　famous　for　its　electrical　and　electronic　waste　(e-waste)　recycling　industry　in　Zhejiang　province　of　China,　were　analyzed　to　identify　the　main　emission　sources　based　on　molecular　markers.　Two　types　of　plastics　which　were　most　frequently　contained　in　the　e-wastes,　wires/cables　and　plastic　blocks,　were　burned　in　the　lab　and　the　particles　emitted　analyzed.　The　concentrations　of　PAHs　and　phthalate　esters　at　the　e-waste　dismantling　area　during　our　sampling　periods　were　about　two　times　of　that　at　the　reference　urban　site,　indicating　the　high　pollution　level　there.　The　high　concentrations　of　quaterphenyl　found　at　the　dismantling　area　indicated　that　burning　of　plastics　or　polymers　was　an　important　emission　source　of　the　PAHs　in　the　fine　particles.　The　diagnostic　analysis　based　on　the　compositions　of　alkanes.　hopanes　and　other　molecular　markers　showed　that　engine　exhaust,　biomass　burning　and　kitchen　emissions　were　also　important　emission　sources　at　the　e-waste　dismantling　area.　Our　results　suggested　that　more　effort　should　be　paid　to　control　the　correlative　emission　sources　such　as　transportation　and　kitchen　to　achieve　better　air　quality　at　the　e-waste　dismantling　area　besides　regulating　the　recycling　activities.　(C)　2010　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.