The carcinogenic danger of nitrie pollution of the environment.

Presented are the literature data as well as the results of our own investigations on the genotoxic and carcinogenic effects of sodium nitrite (SN). The carcinogenicity of SN detected in animal experiments appears to be related to the formation of nitroso compounds from endogenous nitrosable precursors. Sodium nitrite possesses transforming and promoting effects in cell cultures, as well as mutagenic effects in the bacterial systems, where the predominant effect of SN was compared to that of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). Prolonged pretreatment with SN amplifies the liver DNA damage in rats in case of NDMA endogenous synthesis.