Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds 

TL;DR: Although the state of knowledge has improved dramatically since the introduction of the 16 EPA PAHs in the 1970s, this summary shows that more research is needed about the toxicity, occurrence in the environment and chemical analysis, particularly of alkylatedPAHs, higher molecular weight PAHS and substituted PACs.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a personal history of analytical chemistry in the late 1960s and early 1970s leading to the 1976 legal settlement known as the EPA Consent Decree, and details where, when, how, and (very importantly) why each of the 16 PAHs were selected as representative compounds used for environmental analyses as part of the consent decree.

TL;DR: The suitability of the 16 EPAPAHs for the assessment of potential health threats to humans stemming from the exposure to PAHs by food ingestion is reviewed.

TL;DR: It is revealed that rather little is known about the less common PACs, e.g., higher molecular weight compounds, alkylated or otherwise substituted aromatics, for instance, keto-, oxo-, amino-, nitro-, cyano-PAHs, or some heterocyclic aromatic compounds, including their derivatives.

TL;DR: In this paper, a review of the recent measurements and concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) worldwide is presented, with particular focus on highly exposed regions such as China, India and former Eastern European countries.