BMF 55 - Nitrosamines and Nitramines

It is well known that nitrosamines and nitramines can be dangerous to human health, animals and plant lives. There are several technologies which release them into the environment.

 

Nitrosamines are a class of chemical compounds that have received much attention since 1956, when two British scientists, John Barnes and Peter Magee, reported that dimethylnitrosamine produced liver tumors in rats. Nitrosamines are formed by reactions of nitrites and secondary amines (e.g. in proteins) under acidic conditions like gastric milieus. Human beings ingest nitrites from food, esp. fried or grilled meat and vegetables. Disposal of tobacco products also causes a high intake of nitrosamines (mainly N-Nitrosonornicotin).

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