Extracts from various vegetables and fruits were investigated for their abilities to reduce nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons （NPAHs）. The extracts from grape and onion exhibited an interesting selectivity, yielding corresponding hydroxylamines or amines as major products under mild conditions of 30 ℃ and pH 7.0. Grape extracts reduced the 4-nitro-l,8-naphthalic anhydride with the highest conversion rate （〉99%） and the highest ratio of hydro- xylamine to amine （95：5）. In contrast, the onion extracts reduced 4-nitro-l,8-naphthalic anhydride with a conversion rate of 94% and a ratio of hydroxylamine to amine of 8：92. The thiol-reducing agent, 13-mercaptoethanol, and metal cations, Ca2＋ and Mg2＋, greatly increased the reductive efficiency. This work provides an alternative strategy for biotransformation of nitro-polycyclic compounds.
