Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Why it Matters?
Organic molecules survive in space thanks to energy release ‘valve’.
What You Should Know?
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ring-shaped organic compounds made of carbon and hydrogen atoms.
PAHs occur naturally in fossil fuels like coal, crude oil, and gasoline.
They are released during the incomplete combustion of substances such as coal, oil, gas, wood, garbage, and tobacco.
PAHs are found in vehicle exhaust, cigarette smoke, asphalt, and charred or grilled food.
They have high melting and boiling-points, low vapour pressure, water solubility, and are highly lipophilic.
Naphthalene is a PAH used commercially to make mothballs and other industrial chemicals.
Inside the body, PAHs are converted into metabolites and eliminated through urine and faeces.
High exposure to PAHs can cause irritation, liver and blood disorders, and some are known to cause cancer.