title: An examination of human blood for the presence of volatile nitrosamines.
abstract: Human blood was examined for the presence of volatile nitrosamines. Nitrosamines were detected by chemiluminescence and mass spectrometry after separation from blood by distillation and solvent extraction. N-nitrosodimethylamine was detected in all but one of 51 blood samples taken from 23 different people, at concentrations from the detection limit (0.1 microgram/litre) to 1.4 microgram/litre with a mean concentration of 0.5 microgram/litre. N-Nitrosodiethylamine was detected in 11 samples, the detection limit being 0.1 microgram/litre. No other volatile nitrosamines were detected. After a test meal of bacon, spinach, bread and beer, the concentration of N-nitrosodimethylamine increased. There was no appreciable difference between the nitrosamine concentrations in the blood of laboratory workers and in the blood of other people. Salivary nitrite concentrations measured semi-quantitatively concurrently with blood sampling varied considerably but showed no apparent correlation with blood nitrosamine levels. Measurements in rabbits given a continuous infusion of N-nitrosodimethylamine gave a clearance rate approximately equal to the blood flow through the liver and a volume of distribution of 1.2 litre/kg body weight. By applying these results to man, the body burden after the meal was calculated as 40-50 microgram. This is substantially higher than the estimated weekly intake of volatile nitrosamines from food.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D004052:Diethylnitrosamine / Q000097:blood*; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009602:Nitrosamines / Q000097:blood*; D011817:Rabbits; D012463:Saliva / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D009602:Nitrosamines; D004052:Diethylnitrosamine; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine