Awide variety of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (Fig. 1) are found in the environment as a result of the incomplete combustion of organic matter, emission sources, automobile exhausts, stationary matter (e.g. coal-fired, electricitygenerating power plants), domestic matter (e.g. tobacco smoke and residential wood or coal combustion), area source matter (e.g. forest fires and agricultural burning) and also in food