6. PAH measurement

6.1 Properties of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are often referred to as PAHs and sometimes as PAHs. The latter is a misnomer, as the "aromatic" function always predominates over the "polycyclic" function. The best-known PAH is benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), due to its highly carcinogenic properties. In fact, most PAHs are carcinogenic or at least mutagenic. This is why the European Community plans to systematically measure PAH concentrations in the near future. A European directive is currently being drawn up to lay down the technical procedures to be applied by air pollution monitoring networks in the various countries of the Community. Unlike conventional gaseous pollutants (NO _x , O _...