A Comprehensive Exploration of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: Environmental Origins, Analytical Techniques, Health Implications, and Remediation Strategies

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons represent persistent organic pollutants are pervasively distributed throughout diverse environmental matrices, encompassing air, water, soil, sediments, and biological tissues. These compounds primarily originate from incomplete combustion of organic materials, stemming from both anthropogenic and natural sources. Owing to their pronounced hydrophobic and lipophilic nature, PAHs readily accumulate in environmental and biotic compartments, thereby promoting bioaccumulation and posing potential adverse effects on ecosystems and human health. Many PAHs exhibit toxic, mutagenic, teratogenic, and carcinogenic properties, thereby eliciting substantial concerns for environmental integrity and public well-being. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of PAH sources, environmental distribution, transport processes, toxicological profiles, analytical methods, and remediation strategies, with special emphasis placed on advanced analytical techniques, including gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, high-performance liquid chromatography, and refined microextraction procedures, for the qualitative and quantitative determination of PAHs in complex matrices. Innovations such as nanotechnology-enhanced remediation, photocatalytic degradation, and bioremediation frameworks are also evaluated; moreover, existing analytical challenges, research gaps, and future directions for effective PAH surveillance and abatement are articulated.