RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TOBACCO-SPECIFIC NITROSAMINES AND NITRITE FROM DIFFERENT AIR-CURED TOBACCO VARIETIES

Three tobacco varieties of differing agronomic characteristics were grown and air-cured during the 1988-1990 growing seasons. The leaves were separated into lamina and midvein from three stalk positions. The replicated samples were analyzed for individual alkaloids, nitrate, nitrite, N'-nitrosonornicotine, N'-nitrosoanatabine, N'-nitrosoanabasine, and 4-[(methylnitroso)amino]-1-(3'-pyridyl)-1-butanone. The air-cured flue-type tobacco contained consistently lower quantities of the individual tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA). There were no statistical differences in TSNA and stalk position or TSNA and curing season. Correlation coefficients were determined between nitrite and individual TSNA. Their coefficients showed there was a positive relationship between nitrite levels and individual TSNA concentrations in the tobacco tissue. From this 3-year study there was no relationship between alkaloids or nitrate and individual TSNAs. This study indicates that accumulation of TSNA in tobacco is limited by the amount of nitrite accumulated during air-curing.