Studies on the biological toxicity of several hydrocarbon pollutants of the environment Report 3. The metabolites and excretion rates of brominated benzenes

Metabolites of brominated benzenes in rabbits, rats and mice after a single oral administration were examined with ECD-GC and MS-GC. The major metabolites found in the urine of the three kinds of animals were bromophenol, mercapturic acid, thiophenylacetic acid and sulphuric methylates. A significant increase in mercapturic acid and thiophenylacetic acid was found in urine after administration of low brominated benzenes, whereas remarkable sulphuric methylate excreation was observed after administration of tribromobenzene. Unchanged bromobenzenes were remarkable in the urine of highbrominated benzene-administered animals. Debromination from which debrominated bromobenzenes and bromophenols in excretions result are best ascertained by an enzymatic reaction of the mixed function oxygenase system. The biological half life of each metabolite and unchanged bromobenzene correlated with the number of the substituted aromatic bromine atoms.