Polycyclic Organic Matter

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-021505",
  "term": "Polycyclic Organic Matter",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "1. Organic matter extractable by methylene chloride as determined by Method 315 in appendix A to this part or by an approved alternative method.\n\n2. Defines a broad class of compounds that includes polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Polycyclic organic matter (POM) compounds are formed primarily from combustion and are present in the atmosphere in particulate form. Sources of air emissions are diverse and include vehicle exhausts, forest fires and wildfires, asphalt roads, coal, coal tar, coke ovens, agricultural burning, residential wood burning, and hazardous waste sites. Not all POM reported to EPA's National Emission Inventory is speciated. As a result, EPA applies some simplifying assumptions to model and assess the risk from the individual pollutants that comprise polycyclic organic matter.\n\n3. A broad class of compounds that form mainly from combustion and are present in the air as particles. Sources of POM emissions include: vehicle exhaust; forest fires and wildfires; asphalt roads; coal; coal tar; coke ovens; agricultural burning; residential wood burning; and hazardous waste sites.",
  "abbreviation": "POM",
  "subject": "Air",
  "references": [
    "40 CFR 63.842 (CFR 2013)",
    "National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) Glossary",
    "National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) Glossary; AirToxScreen Glossary of Terms"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/polycyclic-organic-matter/"
}