Peroxyacetyl nitrate, or
PAN for shorthand, is an
organic compound consisting of
oxygen, and
nitrogen as well as a short hydrocarbon chain. It is a principle secondary
pollutant in
photochemical smog. PAN is both toxic and irritating. At very low concentrations of only a few parts per billion it causes eye irritation. Plants are very sensitive: a fraction of 1ppm causes extensive damage to vegetation.
The formula for one such example of PAN is CH3-COO-O-NO2, and consists of a hydrocarbon, nitrogen dioxide, ester and ether group. The formula could be written as C2HO4N.
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