In Vitro Mechanistic Studies of Photogenotoxicity of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are acutely toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms in the presence of environmentally realistic intensities of solar ultraviolet radiation (SUVR). The phototoxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) occurs through photodynamic activation of PAH compounds. Oxygen molecules react as quenchers with excited triplet states of PAHs producing reactive oxygen species (ROS).(omitted)