Large(C>=24)PolycyclicAromaticHydrocarbons:ChemistryandAnalysis

Polycyclicaromatichydrocarbons(PAHs)arethefirsttypeofchemicalsthatwereeverdiscoveredtocausecancerinhumans.Theyarefoundincigarettesmoke,inbarbecuedandsmokedfoods,inautomobileandDieselengineexhaust,fireplacesmoke,andmanyothercommonthingsthatpeopleareexposedto.AnalyzingforPAHsintheenvironmentisimportantinidentifyingpotentialsourcesofcancerexposureandeliminatingtheseasrisks.ThesmallerPAHs,thoseoflowerthan300molecularweight,havebeenthemoststudiedandhavealsobeencoveredinseveralbooks.NobookshavedealtwiththeanalysisofthelargerPAHs.Thesecompoundsarenotonlyimportantforthehealthconcerns,buttheyarealsoofcurrenttechnologicalandscientificinterest.