Formation of N-nitrosodimethylamine from naturally occurring quaternary ammonium compounds and tertiary amines

Abstract

THE potential for the formation of N-nitrosamines in the human environment, either during the processing of foods or in vivo from nitrate and/or nitrite, and precursor amines has received considerable attention in recent years. Traditionally only secondary amines were thought to undergo N-nitrosation reactions. While secondary amines per se are not common in biological systems, tertiary amines and quaternary ammonium compounds do occur in plant and animal tissue. The possible formation of N-nitrosamines from these compounds must be considered because recent reports have appeared on the nitrosation of trimethylamine1,2 and trimethylamine oxide1 in connexion with the possible formation of N-nitrosamines in fish products cured with nitrate. The nitrosative cleavage of tertiary amines is not new and has been described before3,4. © 1972 Nature Publishing Group.