The presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the oil obtained at pyrolysis of Jordan oil shale in a fluidised-bed reactor in the atmosphere of nitrogen and nitrogen/steam has been investigated The final pyrolysis temperature was 520 degrees C, at which the maximum oil yield was established The derived oils were fractionated into chemical classes using mini-column liquid chromatography followed by analysis using capillary column gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for identification and quantification of PAH. The derived oils were found to contain significant amounts of PAH, mainly naphthalene, fluorene and phenanthrene and their alkylated derivatives, and lower amounts of fluoranthrene, pyrene and chrysene. Some of the PAH found in the derived oils are known to be carcinogenic and/or mutagenic, and consequently the oils may represent a significant environmental and health hazard. The PAH have probably formed via Diels-Alder type reactions or via gas-phase cracking of aliphatic compounds.