Study on the source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during coal pyrolysis by PY-GC-MS

► A novel approach to obtain a more fundamental understanding of the PAHs production from the coal pyrolysis was reported. ► The relation between the amount of PAHs from the raw coal and that generated from coal pyrolysis were studied. ► PAHs generated from residue pyrolysis was also included. ► PAHs mainly came from complex chemical reactions of coal pyrolysis rather than from the free PAHs in the raw coals.