EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS OF THE ATMOSPHERIC LEVELS OF BTEX, CRITERIA AIR POLLUTANTS AND METEOROLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN A TROPICAL URBAN AREA IN NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL

•BTEX compounds were measured in the urban atmosphere of Salvador in rainy and dry periods, and toluene was the most abundant pollutant.•Vehicular emissions were identified as the main emission source of the BTEX compounds in the study area.•PCA and HCA contributed to a better interpretation of the correlations between BTEX compounds, criteria air pollutants and meteorological parameters.•BTEX levels were influenced by seasonality, as solar radiation and high temperatures contributed to a decrease of these levels in the dry period.