Coal Tar Pitch

**Semantic type:** Hazardous or Poisonous Substance

**Definition:** A shiny, dark brown to black by-product of the distillation of coal tars and contains various polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their methyl and polymethyl derivatives, as well as hetero-nuclear compounds. Coal tar pitch is mainly used as a binder for aluminum smelting electrodes, but is also used in coating surfaces, in roofing materials, to impregnate and strengthen refractory brick and is used to produce pitch coke. Coal tar pitch exposure leads to an increased risk of developing skin, lung, bladder, kidney and digestive-tract cancer as well as leukemia. It is known to be a human carcinogen. (NCI05)

**Synonyms:** - Coal Tar Pitches