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Nestwell
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Soil Test
18
Lab markers
15
Days until results

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Soil Test

Soil lab test kit

Price

$192

The PAHs in your soil — the residues left by burning and by asphalt, which accumulate near roads, driveways and old fire sites.

  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Free shipping in 3-5 business days

What’s included

  • All sampling materials
  • Easy-to-follow instructions
  • Full contaminant details for your address
  • Prepaid 2-day return shipping
  • Accredited lab network
  • Regulatory analytical methods
  • Per-location results
  • Scored against EPA + CDC standards
  • HSA/FSA eligible via TrueMed

It’s worth testing for if…

  • Your yard sits close to a busy road or a rail corridor
  • There has been a fire, or a long-standing burn pile
  • You are testing ground near fresh or failing asphalt

What are Fuel and petroleum compounds?

18 measurements
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Soil Test

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are formed whenever organic material burns incompletely, and they are also a major component of asphalt and coal tar. That gives suburban soil two reliable sources: traffic exhaust and tyre wear settling out along roads, and driveway sealcoat. They bind tightly to soil and do not move much, so concentrations map closely onto the source — highest at the edge of the pavement, falling off with distance.

How to Test

Take small scoops from a few spots across the area you care about, mix them in the bag provided, and seal it. A blend beats a single hole, because contamination in soil is patchy.

Every measurement, explained

At Nestwell, we provide science backed ranges for all the exposures in your home, allowing for personalized suggestions of in home remediation.

18 measures, every one written up by our advisors. Scroll the cards to read each one.

What gasoline, diesel, heating oil and asphalt leave behind, including benzene and the PAHs. Relevant near old fuel tanks, service stations, busy roads and anywhere there has been a spill.

  • Naphthalene

    Hazardous

    What it is

    Naphthalene emitted by on-road vehicles in this property's county (EPA National Emissions Inventory).

    Can be linked to

    • Cancer
    • The brain and nervous system
    • Short-term toxic effects at high doses
    • Allergies and skin irritation

    detects to 0.0235 mg/kg

  • Phenanthrene

    What it is

    Phenanthrene emitted by on-road vehicles in this property's county (EPA National Emissions Inventory).

    detects to 0.018 mg/kg

  • Pyrene

    What it is

    Pyrene emitted by on-road vehicles in this property's county (EPA National Emissions Inventory).

    detects to 0.0197 mg/kg

  • 1-Methylnaphthalene

    What it is

    1-Methylnaphthalene emitted by on-road vehicles in this property's county (EPA National Emissions Inventory).

    detects to 0.3 mg/kg

  • 2-Methylnaphthalene

    What it is

    2-Methylnaphthalene emitted by on-road vehicles in this property's county (EPA National Emissions Inventory).

    detects to 0.023 mg/kg

  • Acenaphthene

    What it is

    Acenaphthene emitted by on-road vehicles in this property's county (EPA National Emissions Inventory).

    detects to 0.02 mg/kg

  • Acenaphthylene

    What it is

    A chemical found in coal tar and oil that can contaminate water from industrial pollution.

    Part of the PAH family of chemicals — may contribute to cancer risk as part of overall PAH exposure.

    detects to 0.021 mg/kg

  • Anthracene

    What it is

    Anthracene emitted by on-road vehicles in this property's county (EPA National Emissions Inventory).

    detects to 0.015 mg/kg

  • Benzo(a)anthracene

    What it is

    A cancer-causing chemical in the PAH family, found in water from coal tar, oil spills, and industrial pollution.

    Classified as a probable carcinogen — contributes to increased cancer risk with long-term exposure.

    detects to 0.0139 mg/kg

  • Benzo(a)pyrene

    Hazardous

    What it is

    A cancer-causing chemical that enters water from coal tar linings in old water storage tanks and from industrial pollution.

    Can be linked to

    • Cancer
    • The brain and nervous system
    • Fertility and reproduction
    • Development in children
    • Allergies and skin irritation

    A known human carcinogen — long-term exposure increases the risk of stomach, liver, and other cancers, and can cause reproductive issues.

    detects to 0.0168 mg/kg

  • Benzo(b)fluoranthene

    What it is

    A PAH chemical found in water from fossil fuel combustion and industrial pollution.

    Classified as a probable carcinogen — long-term exposure contributes to increased cancer risk.

    detects to 0.017 mg/kg

  • Benzo(g,h,i)perylene

    What it is

    A PAH chemical found in water from vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, and oil contamination.

    While not classified as carcinogenic on its own, it contributes to the overall cancer risk of PAH mixtures.

    detects to 0.0231 mg/kg

  • Benzo(k)fluoranthene

    What it is

    A PAH chemical found in water from industrial pollution, coal tar, and fossil fuel combustion.

    Classified as a probable carcinogen — contributes to increased cancer risk as part of PAH exposure.

    detects to 0.028 mg/kg

  • Chrysene

    What it is

    Chrysene emitted by on-road vehicles in this property's county (EPA National Emissions Inventory).

    detects to 0.0146 mg/kg

  • Dibenzo(a,h)anthracene

    What it is

    Dibenzo(a,h)Anthracene emitted by on-road vehicles in this property's county (EPA National Emissions Inventory).

    detects to 0.0193 mg/kg

  • Fluoranthene

    What it is

    A PAH chemical found in water from coal tar, oil, and industrial emissions.

    Classified as a possible carcinogen — may contribute to cancer risk as part of overall PAH exposure.

    detects to 0.0179 mg/kg

  • Fluorene

    What it is

    Fluorene emitted by on-road vehicles in this property's county (EPA National Emissions Inventory).

    detects to 0.018 mg/kg

  • Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene

    What it is

    A PAH chemical found in water from industrial pollution and fossil fuel combustion.

    Classified as a probable carcinogen — contributes to increased cancer risk as part of PAH mixtures.

    detects to 0.136558 mg/kg

“Detects to” is the method detection limit — the lowest concentration this kit's method can distinguish from zero. The lab may substitute an equivalent or updated method, in which case its limit may differ from the one shown.

Designed To Understand Your Whole House

A single kit answers one question properly rather than several vaguely. Whichever you start with, it is the same lab, the same methods, and the same reporting — so results from one kit sit beside results from the next, in one place, on the same scale.

Accredited labs, regulatory methods

Every sample is analyzed by an accredited environmental lab with the same methods regulatory testing uses.

Numbers with regulatory context

Results come back as a measured value next to the standard it is judged against, not just a "detected".

One box, no home visit

Everything arrives at once and we tell you both where and how to sample, no outside home inspection needed.

How Nestwell Testing Works

How Collection Works

Understand the science –›

  1. Collect

    Take small scoops from a few spots across the area you care about, mix them in the bag provided, and seal it. A blend beats a single hole, because contamination in soil is patchy.

  2. Mail

    Everything goes back in the same box with the prepaid return label. No appointment, nobody in your house, and easy to send back when convenient for you.

  3. Read

    Results land in your Nestwell dashboard in about 15 days, each scored against the standard that applies to it.

A sample bottle being filled at a kitchen tap
Wiping a surface to collect a sample
Nestwell kit boxes on a kitchen counter

Why Nestwell?

CapabilityNestwellHardware Store StripsIn Person Inspector
Samples from across your homeYesOne sample, one placeYes
Real exposure concentrationsYesPaper colour keySometimes
Accredited lab, regulatory methodsYesNoSometimes
Nobody has to come into your homeYesYesNo
Results tracked over time in one placeYesNoOne time result

A number is only useful next to its limit.

At Nestwell, we provide science backed ranges for all the exposures in your home, allowing for personalized suggestions of in home remediation.

Accredited labs only

Samples are analysed by accredited environmental laboratories using the analytical methods used for regulatory compliance work: the same reading a professional consultant would order.

Each result has a standard

A number on its own is not an answer. The EPA action level for lead in water is 15 ppb; the CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Each finding is shown against the limit that applies to it.

Where there is no limit, we say so

The EPA sets no numeric limit for mold, and moisture control is the real remedy. Mold results are reported as what is growing and at what relative level, never as just a pass or a fail.

Medical advisors

Built with leading medical experts

Dr. Malathi Srinivasan

Dr. Malathi Srinivasan

Clinical Professor of Medicine, Primary Care and Population Health

Stanford University

“Our physical & home environment is a direct determinant of our health, and is immunoregulatory. In a year, we breathe about 6 million times, drink 250 gallons of liquid, and eat almost 2 tons of food, with hundreds of compounds interacting on our skin and immune systems. Small environmental changes make a big difference, especially in early childhood development and for vulnerable adults.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions? Find answers to common customer concerns below.

What does the Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Soil Test actually measure?

The panel runs 18 measures, covering Fuel and petroleum compounds. Every one is listed on this page with its detection limit, so you can check for a specific substance before you buy.

How do I take the sample?

Take small scoops from a few spots across the area you care about, mix them in the bag provided, and seal it. A blend beats a single hole, because contamination in soil is patchy. It takes about 10 minutes, and everything you need comes in the box.

How long until I get results?

The kit reaches you in about 3 days. Once the lab receives your sample, results appear in your Nestwell account in about 15 days. Return shipping is prepaid and included.

Who analyses the sample?

An accredited environmental laboratory, using published analytical methods — the same methods and the same labs used for regulatory and commercial testing. Nestwell does not run the analysis itself.

What happens if something comes back high?

Your results are shown against the relevant reference values rather than as a bare number, so you can see which measures stand out and by how much. The lab reports what it measured; it does not diagnose, and a lab result is not medical advice.

Can I pay with an HSA or FSA?

Most Nestwell kits are HSA/FSA eligible through Truemed. Eligibility is shown on the kit page at checkout, and where it applies you can pay with pre-tax dollars.

Free. 3 minutes. No card required.

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$192