Pyrene
Pyrene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) consisting of four fused benzene rings, resulting in a flat aromatic system. The chemical formula is C16H10. This yellow crystalline solid is the smallest peri-fused PAH (one where the rings are fused through more than one face). Pyrene forms during incomplete combustion of organic compounds.
Properties[edit | edit source]
Pyrene is a flat molecule that can intercalate into DNA, while it is not a particularly potent mutagen, it is quite toxic and teratogenic. Pyrene is also used as a probe to determine the polarity of a solvent. It also has a high quantum yield of fluorescence, and because of this it is used in biochemistry experiments as a fluorescent probe, particularly when studying lipids.
Occurrence[edit | edit source]
Pyrene and its derivatives are products of combustion and are produced by fossil fuel burning for heat and power, making them common air pollutants. Pyrene is not a major constituent of tar, but it is a component of soot, which is a byproduct of the combustion of diesel and other fuels.
Uses[edit | edit source]
Pyrene is used commercially to make dyes and dye precursors, and it is also used in research as a reference standard for the spectroscopic quantification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
Health effects[edit | edit source]
Exposure to pyrene can cause skin irritation and inflammation. Long-term or repeated exposures can lead to more serious health effects, including cancer.
See also[edit | edit source]
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