Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in forest fire smoke

Abstract

The occurrence of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the combustion products of carbonaceous fuels is a well known phenomenon. Several PAW are known to be carcinogenic in animals. Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is the most well-known and studied compound of those classified by the National Academy of Science (NAS) as strongly carcinogenic. Ambient BaP concentrations have been recorded for many years by the National Air Surveillance Networks (NASN) and found to range from less than 1 ng/m³ in rural areas to a maximum of 50 ng/m³ in some urban sites ( 12). The primary sources of PAH (measured as BaP) in the United States are heat generation, which produces 300 to 430 metric tons/year, and the open burning of refuse (primarily coal wastes), which produces 300 to 500 metric tons/year ( 12). Forest fires and agricultural burning were estimated.by NAS to emit 127 metric tons/year in 1968, but that figure was revised to 9.5 metric tons/year in a 1972 estimate (6).

Citation

McMahon, Charles K.; Tsoukalas, Skevos N. 1978. Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in forest fire smoke. In: Jones, P.W.; Freudenthal, R.I.; ed. Carcinogenesis, Vol. 3: Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons.New York: Raven Press: 61-73.