METABOLISM OF DDT AND RELATED-COMPOUNDS IN CELL-SUSPENSION CULTURES OF SOYBEAN (GLYCINE-MAX L) AND WHEAT (TRITICUM-AESTIVUM L)

Cell suspension cultures of wheat and soybean were incubated with [14C]-1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis-(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT), [14C]-1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis-(4-chlorophenyl)ethene (DDE) and [14C]-2,2-bis-(4-chlorophenyl)acetic acid (DDA) under standardized conditions. Polar metabolites were formed in yield of 1-2.5% in the cases of DDT and DDE, and of 56% in the case of DDA. A nonpolar metabolite was only observed in the case of DDT in soybean. This metabolite was identified as DDE on the basis of cochromatography and mass spectroscopy. By the same methods DDA was identified as a major polar DDT metabolite of both soybean and wheat. The further conversion of DDA to hexose esters was demonstrated by chromatographic and mass spectroscopic comparison with synthetic DDA-.beta.-D-glucopyranosyl tetraacetate. These studies suggest the metabolic sequence, DDT .fwdarw. DDA .fwdarw. DDA-hexose ester. [The bioaccumulation of DDT through entire food chains up to human adipose tissue and milk fat is discussed.].