Remediation of PAH-Contaminated Soils and Sediments: A ...

� If you were to add 2 benzene rings to the “basic component” (anthracene),
the preface would become dibenz, and you would include the additional
binding site; “h” in this case.
Anthracene + 2 benzene rings = Dibenz [a, h] anthracene
� Common abbreviated prefixes include: acenaphtho-, anthra-, benzo-,
naphtho-, phenanthro-. The “o” is dropped when it prefaces another
vowel, for example, benz[a]anthracene NOT benzo[a]anthracene.
� For more complex naming as seen in the above example, there is a
numbering system for ring positions of the “basic component” (with the
exception of phenanthrene and anthracene which maintain their historical
numbering system). Once compounds are added to each other, the
numbering system changes and “1” is assigned to the carbon atom in the
most counterclockwise position, in the uppermost ring, farthest to the right.
The numbering then proceeds in the clockwise direction and skips atoms
at ring junctions.
� The spaces where numbers were not assigned are given “letters”.
� Orientation of the PAHs is also important. The PAH is orientated so that
(a) the maximum number of rings are on the horizontal axis and (b) the
maximum number of rings fall in the upper right quadrant (or the
horizontal line formed by the “basic structure”).
Benzo[a]pyrene
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