Where It Comes From
- Where it comes from — Incomplete burning (traffic, diesel, wood, coal, waste); coal tar/asphalt/creosote; tobacco/wildfire smoke; charred foods [1][2].
How You Are Exposed
- How you’re exposed — Breathing polluted air or smoke; eating charred meats; skin contact with soot, used oil, or creosote; contaminated soil/dust [1][2].
Why It Matters
- Why it matters — PAH mixtures can irritate skin/eyes and are linked to cancer and possible reproductive/development effects; 2‑methylphenanthrene contributes to mixture risks [1][3][4].
Who Is at Risk
- Who’s at higher risk — Residents near traffic/industry; asphalt/roofing, coke‑oven, aluminum workers; smokers; wildfire‑exposed communities; pregnant people and children [1][3].
How to Lower Your Exposure
- Lower your exposure — Avoid smoke and exhaust; limit charred/smoked foods; ventilate when cooking; wash after soot/oil contact; remove shoes, wet‑mop; use protective gear at work [1][2].
References
- [1]ATSDR. ToxFAQs for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
- [2]US EPA. Technical Fact Sheet – Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). Office of Land and Emergency Management, 2017.
- [3]IARC. Some Non-heterocyclic Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Some Related Exposures. IARC Monographs, Vol. 92, 2010.
- [4]NTP. Report on Carcinogens: Benzo[a]pyrene (Known to be a Human Carcinogen). National Toxicology Program.