A review of the natural occurrence, synthetic production and use of carcinogenic hydrazines and related chemicals.
This writing details the natural occurrence, synthetic production and use of the carcinogenic hydrazines and related chemicals. Twenty-three such chemicals were found in nature in mushrooms, tobacco, bay leaves, antibiotics, soil and other sources. The synthetically-produced hydrazines and related chemicals include 61 compounds which were or are in use as pharmaceutical drugs, agricultural substances, industrial chemicals and fuels for military and space vehicles and rockets. Because there is an overlap between the naturally-occurring and synthetically-produced compounds, their total number is 76. Altogether, 98 hydrazines and related chemicals were studied for carcinogenic action thus far, of which 84 were found to be carcinogenic and the remaining 14 were inactive. This means that the human population is exposed in various degrees to a substantial number of these agents. Therefore, the hydrazine class, unlike the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, N-nitroso compounds, and aromatic amines, poses a greater environmental risk to the human population. In view of these considerations, it appears reasonable to proceed with additional experimentation in this field of interest.
Toth
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Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68198, USA. BTOTH@unmc.edu
D016573:Agrochemicals / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D002617:Chemical Industry; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005648:Fuel Oils; D006801:Humans; D006834:Hydrazines / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D013026:Space Flight; D018531:Spacecraft
D016573:Agrochemicals; D001685:Biological Factors; D002273:Carcinogens; D005648:Fuel Oils; D006834:Hydrazines; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations