Molecular structure of some Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons | Source: ScienceDirect

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a large class of organic compounds made up of two or more fused benzene rings, ranging from simple two-ring naphthalene to complex structures containing up to ten rings.

In their pure state, PAHs are solid at room temperature, generally colorless, white, or pale yellow-green, with a faint, sometimes pleasant odor. 

PAHs form primarily through incomplete combustion of organic material — coal, oil, gas, wood, garbage, tobacco, and char-grilled food — via pyrolysis, where high heat generates free radicals that recombine (pyrosynthesis) into larger fused-ring structures.

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