Nitrosamines: characteristic chemical

Chemical complexes of various transition metals have been shown to promote N-nitrosation (28). These metal complexes include ferrocyanide, ferricyanide, cupric ion, molybate ion, cobalt species, and mercuric acetate. All of the reactions are thought to proceed by oxidation-reduction mechanisms. However, such promotion may not be characteristic of transition metal complexes in general, since ferricyanide ion has been shown to promote nitrosation in metalworking fluids, whereas ferric EDTA does not (2 0). Since the metalworking operation generates metal chips and fines which build up in the fluids, this reaction could be of significance in the promotion of nitrosamine formation in water-based metalworking fluids. 

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