Fluoranthene — properties & hazards overview
Physical state
Solid / adsorbed on particles
Melting point
≈ 110 °C
Boiling point
≈ 375 °C
Vapour pressure (25 °C)
≈ 2 × 10⁻⁵ hPa
Flammability
Combustible solid
Toxicity
Irritant / PAH exposure
Chronic risk
Carcinogenic (PAH class)
Environmental
Persistent / bioaccumulative
| Property | Value / Note |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Yellowish crystalline solid; mainly bound to soot or particulate matter in gas streams. |
| Solubility | Practically insoluble in water; soluble in organic solvents (benzene, toluene, acetone). |
| Formation | By incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons, coal tar distillation, or pyrolysis of organic matter. |
| Persistence | Strongly adsorbed to particulates; resistant to biodegradation and photolysis. |
| Best analytical detection | FTIR spectroscopy — excellent for identifying aromatic C–H and C=C ring vibrations in PAHs directly on collected particulates or films, without extraction. |
*Analyses often complemented by GC-MS for speciation, but FTIR provides rapid confirmation of aromatic PAH signatures.