The Carcinogenic Potency Project

Nitrite, sodium (CAS 7632-00-0)
SMILES, InChI and Structure are below.
Rats and Mice: Cancer Test Summary
Rat Target Sites Mouse Target Sites TD50 (mg/kg/day)
Male Female Male Female Rat Mouse
hmo(B) liv hmo(B) liv no positive no positive 167m no positive

Hamsters: Cancer Test Summary
Hamster Target Sites TD50
(mg/kg/day)
Male Female
no positive no positive no positive

Key to the Table Above

Positivity: For each chemical with a positive (carcinogenic) experiment in the Carcinogenic Potency Database (CPDB), results are included on carcinogenic potency (TD50) in each species and target sites in males and females. Positivity is determined by an author’s opinion in a published paper. If all experimental results in the CDPB are negative in a sex-species group, “no positive” appears. If the CPDB has no experiments in the sex-species group, “no test” appears. The summary presents the strongest evidence of carcinogenicity in each group. If there are both positive and negative experiments in a sex-species, the negative results are ignored in this Summary Table.
Target Site Codes:   hmo = hematopoietic system. liv = liver. (B) = experimental results were reported only for both sexes together. Target sites are listed if any author of published experimental results concluded that tumors were induced in that organ by the test agent. If there is more than one positive experiment in a sex-species, target sites listed may be from more than one experiment, e.g. if liver and lung are both listed, then liver may have been a target in one experiment and lung in another.
TD50: Our standardized measure of carcinogenic potency, TD50, is the daily dose rate in mg/kg body weight/day to induce tumors in half of test animals that would have remained tumor-free at zero dose. Whenever there is more than one positive experiment in a species, the reported TD50 value is a Harmonic Mean calculated using the TD50 value from the most potent target site in each positive experiment.
Superscripts:   m = There is more than one positive experiment in the species, and TD50 values from each positive experiment are used in the calculation of the reported Harmonic mean of TD50.

The Carcinogenic Potency Database (CPDB) is a unique and widely used international resource of the results of 6540 chronic, long-term animal cancer tests on 1547 chemicals. The CPDB provides easy access to the bioassay literature, with qualitative and quantitative analyses of both positive and negative experiments that have been published over the past 50 years in the general literature through 2001 and by the National Cancer Institute/National Toxicology Program through 2004. The CPDB standardizes the diverse literature of cancer bioassays that vary widely in protocol, histopathological examination and nomenclature, and in the published author’s choices of what information to provide in their papers. Results are reported in the CPDB for tests in rats, mice, hamsters, dogs, and nonhuman primates.

For each experiment, information is included on species, strain, and sex of test animal; features of experimental protocol such as route of administration, duration of dosing, dose level(s) in mg/kg body weight/day, and duration of experiment; experimental results are provided on target organ, tumor type, and tumor incidence; carcinogenic potency (TD50) and its statistical significance; shape of the dose-response, author’s opinion as to carcinogenicity, and literature citation.

Only tests with dosing for at least ¼ the standard lifespan of the species and experiment length at least ½ the lifespan are included in the CPDB. Only routes of administration with whole body exposure are included. Doses are standardized, average dose rates in mg/kg/day. A description of methods used in the CPDB to standardize the diverse literature of animal cancer tests is presented for: 1) Criteria for inclusion of experiments 2) Standardization of average daily dose levels and 3) TD50 estimation for a standard lifespan. See Methods for other details.

TD50 provides a standardized quantitative measure that can be used for comparisons and analyses of many issues in carcinogenesis. The range of TD50 values across chemicals that are rodent carcinogens is more than 100 million-fold. More than half the chemicals tested are positive in at least one experiment.

A plot of all results on each experiment in the CPDB for this chemical is presented below. These results are the source information for the Cancer Test Summary table above.

Nitrite, sodium: All Experiments and Citations in CPDB

The definition of each code in the plot below will appear in a pop-up window when the field name in the header line is clicked, e.g., Strain, Site, Path. Each numbered line starts a new experiment and reports protocol information in black. Average daily dose-rates per kg body weight per day are in green. Remaining lines report experimental results in blue.

Abbreviations of fields in header line: # = the line number in the plot of all CPDB chemicals; Xpo = duration of dosing; Xpt = duration of experiment; Site = tissue; Path = tumor type; DR = dose-response; AuOp = author’s opinion about carcinogenicity; LoConf, UpConf = confidence limits (99%) on TD50; Inc = tumor incidence for each dose group.

See Guide to reading the plot for details on each field, using an example of one experiment.

See Help to improve readability, or to fit the plot onto the screen or a printed page.



Chemical (Synonym) CAS
# Species Sex Strain Route Xpo+Xpt PaperNum        0 Dose  1 Dose 2 Dose  3 Dose          Literature Reference or NCI/NTP:Site Path
Site Path Notes   TD50  DR Pval    AuOp LoConf UpConf   Cntrl   1 Inc  2 Inc   3 Inc                                                        Brkly Code

NITRITE, SODIUM 7632-00-0 4192 H f syg eat 97w97 1831 0 149.mg Ernst;carc,8,1843-1845;1987/pers.comm. liv cgf e no dre P=1. 402.mg n.s.s. 1/14 0/15 tba tum e 477.mg P<.6 78.7mg n.s.s. 5/14 7/15 4193 H m syg eat 24m24 1831 0 131.mg liv tum e no dre P=1. 391.mg n.s.s. 0/16 0/15 tba tum e no dre P=1. 134.mg n.s.s. 10/16 6/15 4194 M f b6c wat 24m24 TR495 : 0 45.0mg 90.0mg 165.mg for MXA 1.61gm * P<.06 e 572.mg n.s.s. 1/50 0/50 1/50 5/50 for:sqc,sqp. TBA MXB 459.mg * P<.4 124.mg n.s.s. 21/50 32/50 31/50 32/50 liv MXB no dre P=1. 553.mg n.s.s. 10/50 8/50 7/50 7/50 liv:hpa,hpb,hpc. lun MXB 843.mg * P<.2 300.mg n.s.s. 1/50 6/50 5/50 6/50 lun:a/a,a/c. 4195 M m b6c wat 24m24 TR495 : 0 60.0mg 120.mg 220.mg TBA MXB 9.19gm * P<1. - 196.mg n.s.s. 40/50 35/50 36/50 38/50 liv MXB no dre P=1. 324.mg n.s.s. 26/50 25/50 17/50 25/50 liv:hpa,hpb,hpc. lun MXB 990.mg Z P<.2 316.mg n.s.s. 13/50 6/50 12/50 17/50 lun:a/a,a/c. 4196 M f cb6 eat 52w69 1361 0 489.mg Murthy;ijcn,23,253-259;1979 liv hpc e no dre P=1. - 532.mg n.s.s. 1/92 0/12 lun ade e no dre P=1. - 532.mg n.s.s. 2/92 0/12 tba mix e no dre P=1. - 268.mg n.s.s. 17/92 2/12 4197 M f cb6 wat 27m29 1925 0 36.8mg 368.mg Anderson;canr,45,3561-3566;1985 lun tum g 5.20gm * P<.5 - 788.mg n.s.s. 1/20 1/15 2/17 liv mix g no dre P=1. - 1.33gm n.s.s. 3/20 1/15 1/17 4198 M m cb6 eat 52w69 1361 0 452.mg Murthy;ijcn,23,253-259;1979 lun ade e 1.61gm P<.2 - 236.mg n.s.s. 1/95 1/11 liv hpc e no dre P=1. - 451.mg n.s.s. 2/95 0/11 tba mix e 1.21gm P<.4 - 185.mg n.s.s. 8/95 2/11 4199 M f icr wat 25m25 2328 0 173.mg 244.mg 471.mg Inai;gann,70,203-208;1979/pers.comm. lun tum 7.23gm * P<.5 - 1.71gm n.s.s. 3/20 3/50 2/50 8/50 liv tum no dre P=1. - 6.27gm n.s.s. 1/20 0/50 0/50 1/50 tba mix no dre P=1. - 708.mg n.s.s. 10/20 19/50 21/50 22/50 4200 M m icr wat 25m25 2328 0 241.mg 429.mg 702.mg lun tum 16.3gm * P<.7 - 2.29gm n.s.s. 2/20 6/50 4/50 7/50 liv tum 25.0gm * P<.7 - 5.18gm n.s.s. 0/20 1/50 1/50 1/50 tba mix no dre P=1. - 1.67gm n.s.s. 9/20 23/50 16/50 18/50 4201 M f scd wat 8m29 1255 0 30.7mg Anderson;ijcn,24,319-322;1979 liv hct s 744.mg P<.7 - 79.3mg n.s.s. 1/16 2/20 lun tum s no dre P=1. - 132.mg n.s.s. 3/16 1/20 4202 M m scd wat 8m27 1255 0 27.7mg lun tum s 103.mg P<.3 - 25.7mg n.s.s. 4/21 6/17 liv hct s no dre P=1. - 52.8mg n.s.s. 5/21 3/17 4203 M f vms wat 31m31 2320 0 400.mg Hawkes;huet,11,279-281;1992 bra gli r no dre P=1. - 8.36gm n.s.s. 1/100 1/100 4204 M m vms wat 26m26 2320 0 333.mg bra gli r no dre P=1. - 8.11gm n.s.s. 0/100 0/100 4205 R f f34 wat 24m24 TR495 : 0 42.9mg 85.7mg 171.mg TBA MXB 74.4gm * P<1. - 108.mg n.s.s. 45/50 45/50 49/50 45/50 liv MXB no dre P=1. n.s.s. n.s.s. 0/50 0/50 0/50 0/50 liv:hpa,hpb,hpc. 4206 R f f34 eat 52w69 1361 0 188.mg Murthy;ijcn,23,253-259;1979 liv tum e no dre P=1. - 273.mg n.s.s. 0/44 0/16 tba mix e no dre P=1. - 88.4mg n.s.s. 20/44 6/16 4207 R f f34 wat 24m28 1490 0 51.0mg 85.0mg Maekawa;fctx,20,25-33;1982 liv mix e no dre P=1. - 420.mg n.s.s. 1/49 0/48 0/48 tba mix e no dre P=1. - 154.mg n.s.s. 45/49 41/48 35/48 4208 R f f34 eat 24m30 1645m 0 80.0mg Lijinsky;jtxe,13,609-614;1984/1983a liv mix e 124.mg P<.003 + 56.7mg 817.mg 4/24 14/24 liv nnd e 199.mg P<.03 78.9mg n.s.s. 4/24 11/24 liv car e 470.mg P<.02 162.mg n.s.s. 0/24 4/24 4209 R f f34 eat 24m30 1654m 0 80.9mg Lijinsky;fctx,22,715-720;1984/1983a liv mix e 141.mg P<.007 + 62.0mg 2.04gm 4/24 13/24 liv nnd e 164.mg P<.02 69.2mg n.s.s. 4/24 12/24 liv hpc e 629.mg P<.04 190.mg n.s.s. 0/24 3/24 4210 R f f34 wat 24m30 1654n 0 63.5mg adr mdt e 163.mg P<.0005 73.1mg 523.mg 0/24 8/24 thy car e 163.mg P<.0005 73.1mg 523.mg 0/24 8/24 mam tum e 115.mg P<.05 44.1mg n.s.s. 8/24 15/24 liv mix e 153.mg P<.03 + 60.7mg n.s.s. 4/24 11/24 liv nnd e 185.mg P<.06 68.2mg n.s.s. 4/24 10/24 ute pol e 218.mg P<.02 85.8mg n.s.s. 1/24 7/24 liv hpc e 1.55gm P<.3 252.mg n.s.s. 0/24 1/24 4211 R f f34 eat 24m30 1854 0 87.9mg Lijinsky;txih,3,413-422;1987/pers.comm. liv mix 136.mg P<.003 62.3mg 897.mg 4/24 14/24 liv nnd 218.mg P<.03 86.7mg n.s.s. 4/24 11/24 liv hpc 516.mg P<.02 178.mg n.s.s. 0/24 4/24 4212 R m f34 wat 24m24 TR495 : 0 37.5mg 75.0mg 150.mg ski fib # 667.mg * P<.04 - 325.mg n.s.s. 0/50 1/50 6/50 3/50 S TBA MXB no dre P=1. 81.2mg n.s.s. 45/50 39/50 44/50 (37/50) liv MXB 6.55gm * P<.7 1.07gm n.s.s. 0/50 0/50 1/50 0/50 liv:hpa,hpb,hpc. 4213 R m f34 eat 52w69 1361 0 151.mg Murthy;ijcn,23,253-259;1979 liv tum e no dre P=1. - 218.mg n.s.s. 0/50 0/16 tba mix e no dre P=1. - 58.8mg n.s.s. 30/50 8/16 4214 R m f34 wat 24m28 1490 0 45.2mg 81.0mg Maekawa;fctx,20,25-33;1982 liv mix e 1.31gm * P<.5 - 306.mg n.s.s. 4/46 5/49 7/50 tba mix e noTD50 P=1. - n.s.s. n.s.s. 46/46 49/49 50/50 4215 R m f34 eat 24m30 1645m 0 64.0mg Lijinsky;jtxe,13,609-614;1984/1983a liv mix e 445.mg P<.3 114.mg n.s.s. 3/24 6/24 liv nnd e 467.mg P<.3 125.mg n.s.s. 2/24 5/24 liv car e no dre P=1. 297.mg n.s.s. 1/24 1/24 4216 R m f34 eat 24m30 1654m 0 64.7mg Lijinsky;fctx,22,715-720;1984/1983a liv nnd e no dre P=1. 235.mg n.s.s. 5/24 3/24 4217 R m f34 wat 24m30 1654n 0 44.5mg liv mix e 946.mg P<.7 109.mg n.s.s. 3/24 4/24 liv hpc e 1.04gm P<.6 143.mg n.s.s. 1/24 2/24 liv nnd e no dre P=1. 160.mg n.s.s. 2/24 2/24 4218 R m f34 eat 24m30 1854 0 92.3mg Lijinsky;txih,3,413-422;1987/pers.comm. liv mix 641.mg P<.3 164.mg n.s.s. 3/24 6/24 liv nnd 674.mg P<.3 180.mg n.s.s. 2/24 5/24 liv hpc no dre P=1. 429.mg n.s.s. 1/24 1/24 4219 R m f34 eat 27m27 1920 0 80.0mg 200.mg Grant;fctx,27,565-571;1989 tes ict ef no dre P=1. - 109.mg n.s.s. 16/20 31/48 (7/50) --- mnl ef no dre P=1. - 348.mg n.s.s. 9/18 7/39 (3/40) mix lym ef no dre P=1. - 371.mg n.s.s. 15/20 14/50 (10/49) --- grl ef no dre P=1. - 1.63gm n.s.s. 0/18 1/39 0/40 tba tum ef no dre P=1. - 389.mg n.s.s. 20/20 45/50 34/50 4220 R b cdr eat 29m29 471 0 45.0mg Newberne;scie,204,1079-1081;1979 --- mly 539.mg P<.03 + 231.mg n.s.s. 6/136 16/136 spl lym 601.mg P<.04 246.mg n.s.s. 6/136 15/136 liv ang 5.84gm P<.3 952.mg n.s.s. 0/136 1/136 liv mix no dre P=1. 1.08gm n.s.s. 1/136 1/136 4221 R m f3d wat 51w51 2162 () 0 100.mg Kawabe;gann,85,17-25;1994 for tum er no dre P=1. - 74.3mg n.s.s. 0/15 0/15 stg tum Cer no dre P=1. - 74.3mg n.s.s. 0/15 0/15 4222 R f mrc wat 20m24 213 0 65.9mg Lijinsky;jnci,50,1061-1063;1973 tba mix e 57.3mg P<.03 - 21.4mg n.s.s. 4/15 10/15 4223 R f mrc wat 16m28 1189 0 11.2mg Greenblatt;jnci,50,799-802;1973 liv tum e no dre P=1. - 41.3mg n.s.s. 0/20 0/13 tba tum e no dre P=1. - 6.48mg n.s.s. 14/20 9/13 4224 R m mrc wat 20m24 213 0 46.2mg Lijinsky;jnci,50,1061-1063;1973 tba mix e 61.9mg P<.2 - 18.8mg n.s.s. 5/15 9/15 4225 R m mrc wat 16m28 1189 0 7.85mg Greenblatt;jnci,50,799-802;1973 liv tum e no dre P=1. - 33.4mg n.s.s. 0/20 0/15 tba tum e no dre P=1. - 12.9mg n.s.s. 7/20 4/15 4226 R m wis eat 92w92 1352 0 32.0mg 64.0mg Aoyagi;jnci,65,411-414;1980 liv mix e 155.mg * P<.007 + 63.2mg 2.04gm 0/19 1/22 5/19 4227 R m wis wat 24m24 1910m 0 75.0mg 150.mg Yamamoto;clet,45,221-225;1989/1996/pers.comm. liv tum ej no dre P=1. - 168.mg n.s.s. 0/17 0/17 0/17 4228 R m wis wat 94w94 1914 0 75.0mg 150.mg Yamamoto;carc,10,1607-1611;1989 liv hpc no dre P=1. - 168.mg n.s.s. 0/20 0/20 0/20 lun tum no dre P=1. - 168.mg n.s.s. 0/20 0/20 0/20 nas tum no dre P=1. - 168.mg n.s.s. 0/20 0/20 0/20

Mutagenicity in Salmonella: positive
SMILES Code for Nitrite, sodium: O=N[O-].[Na+]
InChI Code for Nitrite, sodium: InChI=1/HNO2.Na/c2-1-3;/h(H,2,3);/q;+1/p-1
Source for SMILES and InChI: USEPA Distributed Structure-Searchable Toxicity (DSSTox) Database
Chemical Structure for Nitrite, sodium: Chemical Structure
Source for structure: National Library of Medicine ChemIDPlus

See full CPDB Summary Table on 1547 chemicals. See Full CPDB for all results on 6540 experiments of 1547 chemicals.

A complete list of CPDB chemicals, which is searchable by name or by CAS number, is available here.

For a compendium of CPDB results organized by target organ, which lists all chemicals in each species that induced tumors in each of 35 organs, see Summary Table by Target Organ.

The CPDB is available in several formats that permit printing and downloading into spreadsheets and statistical databases.

  1. A plot of the CPDB presents results of 1547 experiments on 6540 chemicals in an easily readable format that has been used in publications of the CPDB.
  2. A Screen version plot for use on a single computer screen, with the same data.
  3. Excel version of the same data.
  4. Tab-separated versions of the same data, which can be easily read into databases.

A Supplementary Dataset gives details on dosing and survival for each experiment.

Relatively precise estimates of the lower confidence limit on the TD10 (LTD10) are readily calculated from the TD50 and its lower confidence limit, which are reported in the CPDB. For researchers and regulatory agencies interested in LTD10 values, we provide them in an Excel spreadsheet.

PDF versions of our publications of analyses using the CPDB are available, organized by year and by research topic.


Carcinogenic Potency Database Project (CPDB) Home Page
For more information about this Web Page, contact slone.cpdb@gmail.com.
Last updated: October 3, 2007