BENZO(C)PHENANTHRENE

Yellow Solid

A PAH metabolite having a toxic effect on fish bone metabolite. Also, it is used as a marker of the carcinogenic potency of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) mixture. A genotoxic agent.

ChEBI: An ortho-fused polycyclic arene resulting from the symmetrical fusion of the C1-C2 bonds of two naphthalene units.

Questionable carcinogen withexperimental tumorigenic data. Mutation data reported.When heated to decomposition it emits acrid and irritatingfumes.

Dermal administration (initiation– promotion protocols) to mice showed benzo[c]phenanthrene was a tumor-initiating agent. Repeated dermal administration in mice or subcutaneous injection into mice or rats gave results considered to be inadequate for evaluation (3). Intraperitoneal injection of benzo[c]phenanthrene into infant mice resulted in a substantial induction of lung tumors. Seven suspected activated metabolites were also active, as well as in two-stage mouse carcinogenesis assays.

Crystallise benzo[c]phenanthrene from EtOH, pet ether, or EtOH/Me2CO. [Beilstein 5 III 2378, 5 IV 2552.]