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Nitrite-induced volatile fecal mutagens: some preliminary studies
Cancer
|April 1, 1982
Summary
This study investigated volatile mutagen formation in human feces incubated with sodium nitrite. Fecal mutagens form spontaneously, influenced by diet and gut bacteria, with optimal mutagenicity observed within 48 hours.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Toxicology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Volatile mutagens can form in the human gut.
- Sodium nitrite is a common food additive and a precursor to mutagens.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the formation of volatile mutagens from human feces incubated with sodium nitrite.
- To determine the optimal conditions for mutagen formation and the factors influencing it.
Main Methods:
- Human fecal samples were incubated with sodium nitrite at 37°C.
- Mutagenicity was assessed using Ames' Salmonella typhimurium tester strain TA1535.
- Serial exposure periods and sample mixing experiments were conducted.
Main Results:
- Optimal mutagen formation occurred within 24-48 hours, decreasing with longer exposure.
- Reactivity with nitrite varied significantly between fecal samples.
- Mixing low-reacting with high-reacting samples resulted in lower-than-predicted mutagenicity.
- Autoclaving did not significantly alter mutagenicity.
Conclusions:
- Volatile mutagens arise from a spontaneous chemical process involving nitrite ions in feces.
- Dietary and gut flora factors likely play a role in the production or absence of these mutagens.