COMPARATIVE METABOLISM OF 2,2,5-ENDO,6-EXO,8,9,10-HEPTACHLOROBORNANE AND TOXAPHENE IN 6 MAMMALIAN-SPECIES AND CHICKENS

The feces of mice, rats, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, monkeys, and chickens orally administered 2, 2, 5-endo, 6-exo, 8, 9, 10-heptachlorobornane contain the corresponding hexachlorobornane isomers and hexachlorobornene formed by reductive dechlorination and dehydrochlorination, respectively, at the gem-dichloro group. Yields of the two reductive dechlorination products are 20% in rabbits and monkeys and 3-9% in the other species and yields of the hexachlorobornene are 0.2-1.5% in each case. Toxaphene, as with the heptachlorobornane, is metabolized least extensively by chickens and most by monkeys. Most of the 29 glass capillary column gas chromatographic peaks characteristic of toxaphene are evident in the fat of all the treated animals and in the feces except for monkeys. The feces of toxaphene-treated monkeys contains the three metabolites of the heptachlorobornane discussed above as established by glass capillary column gas chromatographic comparison with authentic standards by cochromatography and electron impact mass spectrometry. Toxaphene-derived products in the liver 3 days after treatment vary with the species and in the most part are not toxaphene components. © 1979, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.