POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON (PAH) OCCURRENCE AND REMEDIATION METHODS

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are potentially mutagenic and carcinogenic substances occurring at various concentrations in the atm osphere, soil, water and sediment. PAHs, inherited both from natural a nd anthropogenic processes, are persistent organic pollutants (POP) du e to their chemical stability and biodegradation resistance; The incre ase of road transportation, and of industrial and agricultural activit ies has led to a notable build up of PAHs in the environmental media. For cases of heavy soil pollution, the main remediation methods are co ntainment, thermal desorption, incineration end microbial degradation. Phytoremediation, a low-lost process based on microbial activation in the root zone, is a novel method under deep investigation.