Fact Sheet 2011–3010
Studies by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have identified coal-tar-based sealcoat—the black, viscous liquid sprayed or painted on asphalt pavement such as parking lots—as a major source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination in urban areas for large parts of the Nation. Several PAHs are suspected human carcinogens and are toxic to aquatic life.
First posted February 9, 2011
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Mahler, B.J., and Van Metre, P.C., 2011, Coal-tar-based pavement sealcoat, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and environmental health: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2011–3010, 6 p.
What are Sealcoat, PAHs, and Coal Tar?
How does Sealcoat get from Driveways and Parking Lots into Streams and Lakes, Homes, and the Air?
The East-West Divide—Regional Product Use Translates to Large Differences in PAH Concentrations
“Fingerprinting” Shows that Coal-Tar Sealant is the Largest Source of PAHs to Urban Lakes
From Outside to Inside—Coal-Tar Pavement Sealant Linked to PAHs in House Dust
Our Environment and Us—What are the Concerns?