Indoor dust samples (n=24) were collected from 14 locations in Anhui province, and concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured. The results showed that the sum concentrations of 16PAHs (ΣPAHs) in all the samples ranged from 0.52 to 89.3 μg/g, with a mean value of 20.7 μg/g. Five-ring PAH was the predominant PAH component in all samples, followed by 4-ring and 3-ring PAHs. PAHs with high-molecular weight (4~6rings) are the predominant PAHs in most samples, ranging from 60.5% to 97.0% in ΣPAHs. Relatively high percentages of PAHs with low-molecular weight (2~3rings) were detected in only 4samples. This indicates the significant contribution of vehicle (automobiles and ships) and high temperature combustion from chemical plant to PAHs emission in most locations. However, potential high PAHs emission from oil, fuel spills and low temperature combustion from coal or woods might present in Anqing, Wuhu, and Liu'an. Significant differences of ΣPAHs were observed in the indoor dust from urban public places, urban family housings, and rural family housings, following the order of urban public places> urban family housings> rural family housings. According to the diagnostic ratio analysis, PAHs in dust from the public places and urban family housings were derived from the mixed source, while PAHs in dust from rural family housings were mainly derived from the combustion sources. Furthermore, carcinogenic risk assessment of PAHs indicated that the BaPE values in urban family housings were slightly higher than those in rural family housings. Much higher BaPE values of the dust from the urban public places were calculated, which were two times higher than the BaPE values of the dust from the urban and rural family housings.