Abstract. To quantitatively evaluate the effect of carbonaceous aerosols on the south edge of the Tibetan Plateau, aerosol samples were collected weekly from August 2009 to July 2010 at Mt. Everest (Qomolangma Station for Atmospheric and Environmental Observation and Research, briefly QOMS, 28.36° N, 86.95° E, 4276 m a.s.l.). The samples were analyzed for organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and major ions. The average concentrations of OC, EC and WSOC were 1.43, 0.25 and 0.77 μg m−3, respectively. The concentration levels of OC and EC at QOMS are comparable to those at high elevation sites on the southern slopes of the Himalayas (Langtang and NCO-P), but three to six times lower than those at Manora Peak, India and Godavari, Nepal. Sulfate was the most abundant anion species followed by nitrate, accounting for 25 and 12% of total ionic mass, respectively. Ca2+ was the most abundant cation species (annual average of 0.88 μg m−3). The various aerosol compositions showed distinctive seasonality. The dust loading, represented by Ca2+ concentration, was relatively constant throughout the year. While OC, EC and other ionic species (NH4+, K+, NO3−, and SO42−) exhibited a pronounced peak in the pre-monsoon period and a minimum in the monsoon season. Similar seasonal trends of aerosol composition were also reported previously from the southern slope of the Himalayas, such as Langtang and NCO-P. This phenomenon indicates that both slopes of Himalayas share a common atmospheric environment regime. The strong correlation of OC and EC in QOMS aerosols with K+ and levoglucosan indicates that they were mainly originated from biomass burning. The active fire spots observed by MODIS and their backward trajectories further demonstrate that in pre-monsoon season, agricultural and forest fires in the northern India and Nepal were most likely sources of carbonaceous aerosol at QOMS. In addition to large-scale atmospheric circulation, the unique mountain/valley breeze system in the Himalayas can also have an important effect on air pollutant transport.