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Factors Affecting Dimethylnitrosamine Formation in Samples of Soil and Water
Author(s) -
Mills A. L.,
Alexander M.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1976.00472425000500040024x
Subject(s) - chemistry , dimethylamine , organic matter , nitrite , environmental chemistry , incubation , nitrosamine , formaldehyde , sewage , environmental engineering , nitrate , organic chemistry , carcinogen , environmental science , biochemistry
Dimethylnitrosamine was formed in samples of soil, municipal sewage, and lake water supplemented with 250 ppm of dimethylamine and 100 ppm of nitrite‐N. The toxic compound was formed in similar quantities in soil and sewage samples sterilized by gamma radiation and in lake water sterilized by autoclaving. Nitrosation occurred in samples with a pH as high as 7.7, although nitrosamine was not formed in buffered solutions above pH 5.0. The amount of dimethylnitrosamine produced in soil at pH 5.2 was directly related to the amount of the precursors added to the soil. When the organic matter was partially removed from a sample of soil by treatment with peroxide, the amount of dimethylnitrosamine formed upon incubation with dimethylamine and nitrite decreased. No nitrosamine was produced from the precursors when the soil was freed of organic matter by ignition. Incubation of the ignited soil with glucose and an inoculum of microorganisms led to the formation of nonleachable organic matter and the return of the nitrosating capacity. The results show that nitrosamines may be produced in nonacid environments containing organic materials.