NITROSAMINES

Agent Name
NITROSAMINES
Alternative Name
CLASS
Major Category
Nitrogen Compounds
Synonyms
CLASSES
Category
Nitrosamines
Sources/Uses
Nitrosamines are produced in foundry, tanning, and rubber manufacturing processes. Nitrosamines are carcinogens in experimental animals. [Hawley] Sources of exposure include cigarette smoking, cured or smoked meat and fish, metalworking fluids, rubber vulcanization, leather tanning, and endogenous nitrosation of drugs in the stomach. [Rom, p. 1229-31] "Nitrosamines are chemical compounds of the chemical structure R1N(-R2)-N=O, most of which are carcinogenic." [Wikipedia]
Comments
"The acute toxicity of the dialkylnitrosamines decreases with increasing chain length." [ACGIH] "Appreciation of the carcinogenicity of the nitrosamines has led to their characterization in many occupational and environmental circumstances." N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) has caused fatal hepatic necrosis after acute exposure and liver cirrhosis after chronic exposure. [LaDou, p. 507-8]
Biomedical References

Adverse Effects

Hepatotoxin
Hepatoxic (a) from occupational exposure (secondary effect) or (b) in animal studies or in humans after ingestion

Diseases, Processes, and Activities Linked to This Agent

Processes
Activities

Activities with risk of exposure: