Carcinogenic Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon

**Semantic type:** Classification

**Definition:** Carcinogenic Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) are ubiquitous environmental pollutants that are formed in the process of incomplete burning of organic material and can cause cancer in humans. PAH molecules are made up of two or more fused aromatic rings. PAH causes a carcinogenic effect by metabolic activation to diol epoxides, which bind covalently to DNA. (NCI05)