Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are organic compounds that contain at least three fused benzene rings. A typical polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon is benzopyrene.
Hydrocarbons consist of only carbon and hydrogen. Polycyclic aromatic compounds that include other elements as substituents or in heterocyclic rings are not PAHs; they belong to the parent category, Category:Polycyclic aromatic compounds.