Abstract |
The greatest potential of aliphatic amines for the induction of acute and long-term toxic effects arises from their ability to be nitrosated to nitrosamines that are genotoxic with potential for mutagenicity, teratogenicity, and carcinogenicity, among other toxic effects. The report contains chapters on triethanolamine, morpholine, and 2-nitropropane. Triethanolamine is used in industry and in cosmetic preparations. It is also converted by nitrosating agents to N-nitrosodiethanolamine, which has been known for some time to induce cancer in rodents. Morpholine is an industrially important secondary amine that is nitrosated to N-nitrosomorpholine, which is carcinogenic in animals. 2-Nitropropane was selected because of its dispersion into the environment resulting from its use in paints and other coatings. |