The formation of nitrosamines under denitrification conditions was evaluated as part of the Army's program on pollution abatement. Various amines (dimethyl-diethanol-, dipropyl- and dibutyl-) were evaluated in batch and/or continuous culture microbial systems under anaerobic conditions with high nitrate loads. With the exception of dimethylamine, tha amines do not form detectable concentrations of the corresponding nitrosamines in the alkaline denitrificatioin systems. N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is detected in part per billion concentrations in many of these systems. The formation of NDMA is apparently not biologically mediated in the batch systems, however, the reason for its formation in the continuous systems is not clear. The contribution of microbially produced catalysts and the role of the intracellular environment in the reactions is discussed.
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