Volatile N-nitrosamines in mainstream cigarette smoke: occurrence and formation.

Analytical data is presented for the occurrence of the three major volatile N-nitrosamines in cigarette tobacco and mainstream smoke, namely N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA),- N-nitrosoethylmethylamine (NEMA) and N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) as well as for the occurrence of the corresponding precursor amines and non-volatile N-nitrosamino acids in tobacco. Experimental studies using the C20 reference cigarette show that NPYR present in mainstream smoke results from direct transfer of preformed NPYR (ca. 1.5%), decarboxylation of N-nitrosoproline in tobacco (ca. 10%), pyrolytic nitrosation of pyrrolidine in tobacco (ca. 37%) and concerted decarboxylation/nitrosation of proline (ca. 52%) during tobacco pyrolysis.