Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

(noun)

also known as poly-aromatic hydrocarbons or polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, are potent atmospheric pollutants that consist of fused aromatic rings and do not contain heteroatoms or carry substituents.

Related Terms

  • carcinogenic
  • mutagenic

Examples of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the following topics:

  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

    • Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are potent atmospheric pollutants that consist of fused aromatic rings and do not contain heteroatoms.
    • It can degrade high molecular mass polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons of 4 and 5 rings.
    • Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), also known as poly-aromatic hydrocarbons or polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, are seen in .
    • It can degrade high molecular mass polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons of 4 and 5 rings.
    • An image showing three examples of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
  • Anoxic Hydrocarbon Oxidation

    • Anoxic hydrocarbon oxidation can be used to degrade toxic hydrocarbons, such as crude oil, in anaerobic environments.
    • Hydrocarbons are organic compounds consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon.
    • Crude oil contains aromatic compounds that are toxic to most forms of life.
    • Although it was once thought that hydrocarbon compounds could only be degraded in the presence of oxygen, the discovery of anaerobic hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria and pathways show that the anaerobic degradation of hydrocarbons occurs naturally.
    • Microbes may be used to degrade toxic hydrocarbons in anaerobic environments.
  • The Degradation of Synthetic Chemicals in Soils and Water

    • Examples of such contaminants are polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), chloroethenes, and pharmaceutical substances.
    • Such studies showed that Burkholderia xenovorans LB400 and Rhodococcus sp. strain RHA1, have evolved pathways to degrade aromatic compounds, which are some of the toughest contaminants to eliminate.
    • The bacteria have genes coding for deoxygenases to open the aromatic ring structures of these chemicals.
    • Hydrocarbons and their derivatives were long believed to be degraded only in the presence of oxygen.
  • Petroleum Biodegradation

    • Some microorganisms produce enzymes that can degrade a variety of chemical compounds, including hydrocarbons like oil.
    • The aromatic compounds in oil are toxic to living organisms and such spills can render havoc in an ecosystem.
    • Aside from hydrocarbons, crude oil contains additional toxic compounds, such as pyridine.
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