The metabolism of 14C-DDT, 14C-DDD, 14C-DDE and 14C-DDMU in rats and Japanese quail.

The metabolism and excretion of 14C-DDT, 14C-DDD, 14C-DDE and 14C-DDMU were compared in male rats and male Japanese quail after i.p. injection. The rate of excretion of radioactivity was greater in the rat than in the quail for all compounds except DDMU. Skin and fat were major sites of residual radioactivity in both species, the compound administered and DDE accounting for most of the radioactivity except in the case of DDMU. The four radiolabelled compounds were all present in significant quantities in excreta of both species in unchanged forms. The metabolic patterns for DDT and DDD were similar in rat and quail, except that the rat formed 2,2-di(4-chlorophenyl)ethanol (DDOH) from DDT while the quail did not. Rat and quail metabolized DDE and DDMU differently. Ring-hydroxylated derivatives of DDE were formed only in the rat and analogous metabolites of DDMU were produced only by quail. Both species produced di(4-chlorophenyl)acetic acid as a metabolite of all four compounds administered, although the formation was generally less and slower in quail than rat. Comparative metabolism of DDMU with the other compounds indicated that this compound is not a metabolic intermediate in the metabolism of DDT in either rat or quail.