ABSTRACT

Nature has had>107 years in which to generate metabolic pathways for the biodégradation, photolysis and other degradative routes for products generated by herself. Even this long time interval has not been totally successful. Polyaromatic aromatic hydrocarbons have been formed in the environment from the effects of fire, a process known on this planet prior to the creation of living organisms. PAHs undergo metabolism to their epoxides which are carcinogenic to mammals.