Analysis and pyrolysis of some N-nitrosamino acids in tobacco and tobacco smoke.

A new tobacco-specific nitrosamine, 4-(N-nitrosomethylamino)-4-(3-pyridyl)butyric acid (iso-NNAC), has been identified in tobacco, and its structure was confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry following enrichment of a tobacco extract. The levels of iso-NNAC ranged from 0.01 to 0.95 ppm. It does not induce DNA repair in primary rat hepatocytes and is inactive as a tumorigenic agent in strain A mice. In order to study the fate of nitrosamino acids during smoking, we spiked cigarettes with the following N-nitrosamino acids: iso-NNAC, 3-(nitrosomethylamino)propionic acid (NMPA), 4-(nitrosomethylamino)butyric acid (NMBA), N-nitrososarcosine (NSAR) and N-nitrosoproline (NPRO). NMPA and NMBA were partially transferred, unchanged, during smoking and partially formed the corresponding methyl esters, while pyrolysis of NSAR and NPRO resulted mainly in their decarboxylating products. This is the first time that the pyrosynthesis of methyl esters has been observed during smoking.