The origin of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA) in mainstream smoke and the possible contribution of synthesis during the smoking procedure was investigated. Addition of the nitrosamine precursors nitrate and nicotine to the tobacco prior to smoking did not change the mainstream smoke concentrations of N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) and 4-(methyl-nitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), whereas the mainstream smoke concentration of N'-nitrosoanabasine (NAB) and N'-nitrosoanatabine (NAT) increased after spiking the cigarettes with nitrate. Data for TSNA in tobacco and in mainstream smoke and for nitrate in tobacco of commercial cigarettes of the West German market, taken from previous investigations, were used to calculate the mainstream smoke/tobacco ratios for NNN and NNK. These ratios were corrected for ventilation and cigarette length. It is shown that the ratios are constant and neither depend on the nicotine level nor on the nitrate level of the tobacco except for NNK in the nitrate rich dark tobacco type cigarettes. For nonfilter cigarettes the transfer rates of NNN and NNK which had been corrected for ventilation and cigarette length amounted to 23 or 34% respectively. For filter cigarettes a transfer rate of 13% for NNN and 23% for NNK was calculated. Furthermore it is shown that the mainstream smoke/tobacco ratios for NNN and NNK are constant over the whole length of the cigarettes except for NNK in dark tobacco type cigarettes. The results of this investigation indicate that pyrosynthesis of NNN does not occur and that it is very unlikely for NNK at least for lower nitrate levels. Thus with few exceptions the TSNA burden of smokers is predominantly influenced by the amount of preformed NNN and NNK in tobacco.