Carcinogenic Nitrogen Compounds

The NO + 03 chemiluminescent reaction [Reactions (1-3)] is utilized in two commercially available GC detectors, the TEA detector, manufactured by Thermal Electric Corporation (Saddle Brook, NJ), and two nitrogen-selective detectors, manufactured by Thermal Electric Corporation and Antek Instruments, respectively. The TEA detector provides a highly sensitive and selective means of analyzing samples for A-nitrosamines, many of which are known carcinogens. These compounds can be found in such diverse matrices as foods, cosmetics, tobacco products, and environmental samples of soil and water. The TEA detector can also be used to quantify nitroaromatics. This class of compounds includes many explosives and various reactive intermediates used in the chemical industry [121]. Several nitroaromatics are known carcinogens, and are found as environmental contaminants. They have been repeatedly identified in organic aerosol particles, formed from the reaction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with atmospheric nitric acid at the particle surface [122-124], The TEA detector is extremely selective, which aids analyses in complex matrices, but also severely limits the number of potential applications for the detector [125-127],... 

Nitrogen species, such as nitrate and nitrite, are known to be confirmed procarcinogens. The excessive input of these nitrogen compounds with food and drinking water in the presence of tertiary amines, for instance, from medicines, can lead to the formation of carcinogenic N-nitrosoamines. 

Ayanaba, A., Verstraete, W., and Alexander, M. Formation of dimethylnitrosamine, a carcinogen and mutagen, in soils treated with nitrogen compounds. Soil Sci Soc. Am. Proc., 37 565-568, 1973. 

Although there are exceptions, which will be mentioned in the appropriate sections of this chapter, A-nitrosation is usually carried out on nitrogen compounds in which the nitrogen bears only one hydrogen. The A-nitroso derivatives frequently are thermally or photolytically unstable or both. Many of them have a corrosive action on the skin or on the mucous membranes, and some are said to be carcinogenic. Consequently all A-nitroso compounds must be handled with extreme caution. 

Figure 23-8 Some carcinogenic aromatic nitrogen compounds...

PROP Compounds of the form C—N=0 or N—N=0. Organic nitrogen compounds. SAFETY PROFILE UsuaUy highly toxic carcinogens, teratogens, and mutagens by almost all routes of exposure. Some of these... 

The purging of nitrogen oxides from exhaust gases (913) and treatment of smoking materials (914) with ascorbates are of interest, particularly the latter, wherein a lower production of potentially carcinogenic nitrosated compounds may result if the application were to be put into effect. 

The addition of nitrate is becoming increasingly unpopular due to possible formation of carcinogenic nitrogen-containing compounds in the cheese. In the production of cheese spreads and other processed cheese products, the problem has been solved by the addition of nisin (an antimicrobial compound produced by certain strains of Lactococcus). 

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