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Volatile nitrosamines in normal human faeces

Abstract

NITROSAMINES are a major class of chemical carcinogens which lead to a wide variety of tumours in many animals1. They may be formed in vitro by nitrosation of primary2, secondary3 or tertiary amines4 and are found in air5, water6, foods7 and consumer products8. They may also be formed in vivo in the stomach or small intestine of experimental animals following the concurrent administration of nitrite and precursor amines9–12. Here we show that several volatile nitrosamines are present in normal human faeces and suggest that they have been produced endogenously in the lower gastrointestinal tract.

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WANG, T., KAKIZOE, T., DION, P. et al. Volatile nitrosamines in normal human faeces. Nature 276, 280–281 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/276280a0

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