Identification of a nitrosamino aldehyde and a nitrosamino acid resulting from β-oxidation of N-nitrosodiethanolamine

N-nitrosodiethanolamine is converted to N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-(formylmethyl)nitrosamine (EFMN) and N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-carboxymethyl) nitrosamine (ECMN) by rat S9 liver preparation as a result of β-oxidation. The β-oxidized metabolites were isolated and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) by comparison with authentic standards. An original gas chromatographic method with thermal energy detection was set up to measure both metabolites quantitatively. Under the experimental conditions described, when NAD⁺ was used as cofactor, about 1% of N-nitrosodiethanolamine (NDELA) was converted to EFMN and about half of the latter product was in turn converted to ECMN. The β-nitrosamino aldehyde seems to transfer the nitroso moiety to other amino-compounds, even at physiological pH. The significance of the metabolic formation of EFMN in relation to the carcinogenicity of NDELA is discussed.