Used primarily in scientific research as a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) for studying carcinogenic and mutagenic properties. It serves as a model compound in environmental toxicity studies to understand the metabolic activation and DNA adduct formation of aromatic hydrocarbons. Also employed in photochemical research due to its fluorescence characteristics under UV light, aiding in the development of detection methods for PAH pollutants. Its brominated structure makes it useful in synthetic chemistry as an intermediate for coupling reactions, particularly in palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling processes to build complex organic molecules for pharmaceutical and material science applications.