Pyrene

This article is about the chemical compound pyrene. In botany, pyrene or pyrena is also the name for a nutlet resembling a seed, or the kernel of a drupe or drupelet.

Pyrene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and consists of four fused benzene rings, resulting in a large, flat aromatic system. Pyrene is a colorless or pale yellow solid. Pyrene forms during incomplete combustion of organic material and therefore can be isolated from coal tar together with a broad range of related compounds. Pyrene has been shown to be toxic to the kidneys and the liver in animal studies.

See also

• Benzo-[a]-pyrene, a highly carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon.