Metabolism of nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by human intestinal microflora.

Anaerobic bacterial suspensions from human and rat feces and intestinal contents, and pure cultures of anaerobic bacteria metabolized 1-nitropyrene and 6-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene to 1-aminopyrene and 6-aminobenzo[a]pyrene, respectively. The metabolites were isolated by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography and identified by comparison of their chromatographic and mass spectral properties with those of authentic compounds. The results suggest that anaerobic intestinal bacteria could play a significant role in the metabolism of potentially carcinogenic nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.