| Agent Name |
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS |
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| Alternative Name |
CLASS |
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| Major Category |
Other Classes |
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| Synonyms |
Arenes, polycyclic; Arenes, polycyclic, dihydroxyepoxy; Aromatic hydrocarbons, fused-ring; Aromatic polycyclic hydrocarbons; Dihydroxyepoxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; PAH; PAHs; Polyarenes; Polycyclic dihydroxyepoxy aromatic hydrocarbons; Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons; Aromatic hydrocarbons, polycyclic; Polycylic compounds, arom. hydrocarbons; [ChemIDplus]; Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP); Benzo[e]pyrene; Chrysene; Dibenz[a,h]anthracene; Anthracene; Benzo[c]phenanthrene; Pyrene; Fluoranthene; Cholanthrene; Benz[a]acridine; Benzo[g]chrysene; Phenanthrene; Benz[a]anthracene |
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| Category |
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons |
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| Description |
Occur as needles, plates, crystals, leaflets, or prisms ranging from colorless to pale yellow to golden yellow; [HSDB] |
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| Sources/Uses |
"PAHs are a group of chemicals that are formed during the incomplete burning of coal, oil and gas, garbage, or other organic substances. PAHs can be man-made or occur naturally. . . . A few of the PAHs are used in medicines and to make dyes, plastics, and pesticides." [ATSDR ToxFAQs] PAHs are present in coal tar, creosote, crude oil, tobacco smoke, barbecue smoke, waste oils, engine exhausts, as well as in fresh foods and natural waters; [CHEMINFO] |
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| Comments |
These compounds consist of two or more fused aromatic rings. [ACGIH] They are solids at room temperature. More than 100 PAHs have been identified. [Sullivan, p. 1241] Mixtures of PAHs that are IARC group 1 carcinogens include coal tars and pitches, mineral oils (untreated & mildly treated), shale oils, and soots. Exposures to these mixtures occur in coal gasification, coke production, aluminum production, and iron and steel founding. [Siemiatycki, p. 335] In high-dose animal studies, benzo(a)pyrene causes testicular and ovarian damage, reducing fertility. [Frazier] Heterocyclic aromatic compounds (HACs) are "PAHs having any one carbon atom in a ring replaced by a nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur atom." [HSDB] See "Soots," "Coal tar pitch volatiles," "Coke oven emissions," and "Shale oils." |
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| Reference Link |
NTP: Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons |
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| Exposure Assessment |
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| BEI |
1-Hydroxypyrene (1-HP) in urine = Nq at end of shift at end of workweek; If presence of 1-HP in urine above 1ug/L, then evidence of occupational exposure to PAHs; [ACGIH] |
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| Skin Designation (ACGIH) |
Not evaluated |
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| Reference Link |
ATSDR - ToxFAQs - Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) |
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| Adverse Effects |
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| Reproductive Toxin |
Yes |
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| Links to Other NLM Databases |
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