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

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.