FATE OF CARBON-14 TRIFLURALIN IN ARTIFICIAL RUMEN FLUID AND IN RUMINANT ANIMALS

In time-rate studies, labeled 14C-trifluralin (α,α,α-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropyl-p-toluidine) was degraded in 11 hours in an artificial rumen fluid medium. In ruminant animals, 99% of the ingested radioactivity from labeled 14C-trifluralin was recovered within 6 days in urine (17.8% ) and feces (81.2%). Urine, feces, blood, and milk were examined for trifluralin and its possible metabolites. The milk and blood contained no radioactivity. Neither urine nor feces contained any trifluralin. The radioactivity was excreted mostly as nonidentifiable polar substances. The principal degradation products formed during the time course degradation in rumen fluid and in ruminant animals were reduction products of trifluralin-namely, N2,N2-dipropyl-3-nitro-5-trifluoromethyl-o-phenylenediamine and N4,N4-dipropyl-α,α,α-trifluorotoluene-3,4,5-triamine. Several other trace metabolites were formed, some of which could be identified. © 1969, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.