Toxicity of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Environment and Its Deteriorating Effects on Living Organisms
摘要
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are greatly concerned environmental pollutant. These get accumulated in the environment mainly due to incomplete combustion of oil, coal, wooden biomass, and petroleum products. Anthropogenic activities are also very responsible for PAH addition such as coal burning, extremely high heating from society towers, coal tar roads, asphalt production, liquefying plants, aluminum and coke production. PAH are known to cause carcinogenic and teratogenic effect in human. These chemicals have been also reported to effect immunity, neuronal integrity and activation of reactive oxygen species at large. PAHs also show similar effects in living organisms including pisces and invertebrates such as sea urchin and earthworms. Several biological remediation methods including algal, fungal, bacterial, and biostimulant has successfully employed for the eradication of higher PAH concentration in the environment or contaminated sites. The main aim of chapter is to highlight the impact of PAHs on environment and its magnitude of invertebrates, fishes as well as human beings.