Intake of volatile N-nitrosamines and their ability to exogenously synthesize in the diet of inhabitants from high-risk area of esophageal cancer in southern China.
OBJECTIVE
Nan'ao County in Guandong Province is a high-risk area of esophageal cancer in Southern China. Of the suspected etiological factors in the environment, N-nitrosamines and their precursors have received the greatest attention.


METHODS
Sixty samples of the diet ingested by the inhabitants were collected and detected for volatile N-nitrosamines and their precursors. Five N-nitrosamines detected by Gas Chromatography-Thermal Energy Analyzer were N-nitrosodimethylamine, N-nitrosodiethylamine, N-nitrosopyrrolidine, N-nitrosopiperidine and N-nitrosomethyl-benzylamine.


RESULTS
The average content of 5 volatile N-nitrosamines in the diet was 312.0 micrograms/kg (median). The daily intake of the nitrosamines was 286.5 micrograms/head/day. Only the ability to exogenously synthesize N-nitrosopiperidine was powerful among 5 volatile N-nitrosamines. By a computerized stepwise regression analysis and curve fitting, we studied the correlation among the nitrosamines, the precursors and the major food items in the samples.


CONCLUSIONS
It demonstrated that a relatively high content of volatile N-nitrosamines was present in the diet collected in the area.
Lin
Kun
K
Department of Hygiene, Medical College, Shantou University, 22, Xin Ling Road, Shantou 515031, China. klin@stu.edu.cn
Shen
Zhong-Ying
ZY
Lu
Shih-Hsin
SH
Wu
Yong-Ning
YN
D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004032:Diet; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009602:Nitrosamines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014835:Volatilization
D009602:Nitrosamines