Amines in soil as possible precursors of N-nitroso compounds.

Volatile nitrogen bases in soil have been analysed by gas chromatography. Two samples of soils taken from different regions have been investigated. The first sample was loam. The second was a mixed sample with a predominance of chernozem. At least 48 amines have been found in the samples and 34 of them have been identified. Among the compounds identified are primary, secondary and tertiary amines and heterocyclic bases. The most numerous group is that of the secondary amines (14 compounds), which can be directly nitrosated to give carcinogenic N-nitrosamines. In the chernozem soil, the qualitative amine analysis is practically identical to that of the loam, but the total amount of amines is approximately 10 times higher. For the first time, a wide variety of amines capable of undergoing nitrosation has been found in soils not cultivated by man.