The analytical results and the information gathered on site were
stored in a data bank on a microcomputer. For each sample, the
data bank included 17 information items. The main items were: the concentration of each nitrosamine, the sum of all nitrosamine concentrations (``total nitrosamines'') and the ratio sum/TRK; coded name of ®rm; production type (seals, joints, tyres, bellows, etc.); production step, if applicable processing or vulcanising type; sam-
pling type; sample representativity; type of elastomer (e.g. EPDM: ethylene-propylene terpolymer; NBR: nitrile-butadiene acrylic rubber; SBR: styrene-butadiene rubber; NR: natural rubber).