POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS FORMED BY PYROLYSIS OF CARBOHYDRATES, AMINO ACIDS, AND FATTY ACIDS

Starch, D-glucose, L-leucine, L-glutamic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid were heated at 300°, 500°, or 700° in a stream of nitrogen, and the resulting pyrolytic products were analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by column, paper, and gas chromatography. Nineteen hydrocarbons including those with carcinogenic potency such as benzo[a]pyrene were indentified in the pyrolysis products of the above test compounds heated at 700°. When the same compounds were heated at 500°, the yield of hydrocarbons decreased markedly and no polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were formed at 300° in any discernible amount. When heated at 700°, the fatty acids yielded the largest amount of hydrocarbons, and the amino acids the least. When heated at 500°, however, the largest yield was obtained from starch and D-glucose, and a much smaller yield from fatty acids and amino acids.