CHARAKTERYSTYKA WIELOPIERŚCIENIOWYCH WĘGLOWODORÓW AROMATYCZNYCH I ICH WYSTĘPOWANIE W ŚRODOWISKU

Abstract

CHARACTERISTIC OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS AND THEIR OCCURRENCE IN ENVIRONMENT

Abstract. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons occur as a mixture of various compounds, consisting of two or more aromatic rings, which are fused together pair carbon atoms. Physical and chemical characteristics (melting and boiling points, vapour pressure, solubility in water and organie solvents) of PAHs vary with molecular weight. Some of PAHs shows toxic properties, impact on irnmunity and reproduction and characterized carcinogenic properties. In natural conditions PAHs are formed during forest and mires fires, diagenesis deposited materials, volcanoes eruptions and can be synthesized by plants and by microorganisms during decomposition of organic remnants. Nowadays, the greatest amounts of PAH are released to environment during the combustion of fossil fuel and biomass used for house heating, burning of petrol by vehicles and coal and oil processing in heavy industry activity, mainly coke and gas plants, oil rafineries, steel industry, aluminium and copper smelters as well as tars and creosote production and utilizing, charcoal production plant and incineration of waste. Their occurrences have been identified in all elements of the environment, i.e. atmosphere, water, sediments, soils and biosphere.