Possible underestimation of nitrosatable amine levels in artificial saliva extracts of children's rubber pacifiers and baby-bottle teats.
Children's pacifiers and baby-bottle nipples from various countries were analysed for their content of N-nitrosamines and nitrosatable amines. Using a method involving extraction with artificial saliva, several nitrosamines including N-nitrosodi-n-butylamine (NDBA), N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and N-nitrosomorpholine (NMOR) were detected in addition to the three nitrosatable amines dibutylamine (DBA), diethylamine (DEA) and dimethylamine (DMA). Upon nitrosation in artificial saliva, these amines produced not only the related N-nitrosamines but also relatively high levels of the corresponding nitramines--N-nitrodibutylamine (NTDBA), N-nitrodiethylamine (NTDEA) and N-nitrodimethylamine (NTDMA). Thus, both N-nitramines and N-nitrosamines should be measured after nitrosation; otherwise, the method probably underestimates the quantities of nitrosatable amines present in artificial saliva extracts. Whether N-nitramines, some of which have been shown to be both mutagenic and carcinogenic, are formed in the saliva of babies exposed to these products remains to be confirmed.
Castegnaro
M
M
International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France.
Pollock
J R
JR
Friesen
M
M
D003297:Cooking and Eating Utensils; D007225:Infant Food; D009602:Nitrosamines / Q000032:analysis; D009603:Nitroso Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D012408:Rubber; D012463:Saliva / Q000032:analysis
D009602:Nitrosamines; D009603:Nitroso Compounds; D012408:Rubber