Polynuclear Aromatic Compounds

Polynuclear aromatic compounds (PACs) are byproducts of fuel burning-which occur in coal, tar, and oil deposits. PACs are not only released from fossil fuels but also in cooked foods and other consumer goods, such as meat, from the high temperature grilling process as well as from incomplete combustion of other carbon-containing fuels such as tobacco, wood, coal, diesel fuel, edible fats, and incense. People living near waste sites containing PACs may be exposed through contact with contaminated air, water, and soil. The consumer may also be exposed to PACs from cigarette smoke (tar-burning), smoke from wood fires, grilling of meats and consumption of edible fats, as well as through food grown in contaminated soil or air.

Industrial workers may be exposed to PACs from processes occurring in: coal tar production plants, coking plants, bitumen and asphalt production plants, coal-gasification sites, smoke houses, aluminum production plants, coal tarring facilities, and municipal trash incinerators. Workers may be exposed by inhaling engine exhaust and by using products that contain PACs in a variety of industries such as mining, oil refining, metalworking, chemical production, transportation, and the electrical industry. PACs have also been found in other facilities where petroleum, petroleum products, or coal are used or where wood, cellulose, corn, or oil is burned.

PAHs known for their carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic properties are benz[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[j]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[ghi]perylene, coronene, dibenz[a,h]anthracene, indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, and ovalene.