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3062604 
Journal Article 
Metabolic Products Of p,p'-DDT In The Rat 
Peterson, JE; Robison, WH 
1964 
1 
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology
ISSN: 0041-008X
EISSN: 1096-0333 
NIOSH/00157612 
6 
3 
321-327 
The metabolism of DDT (50293) was investigated in rats. Male white-rats were administered 1,000 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) DDT or metabolites DDD (72548) or DDE (72559) via stomach tube, or were fed a diet containing 1,500 parts per million (ppm) DDT, DDD, or DDE. Rats that did not die were killed after 6 days. All rats had livers removed and DDT and metabolites were chromatographically determined and if present in large enough quantities, examined by infrared spectrometry. DDE treated rats had kidney samples removed and DDE and metabolites were determined. Urine of some rats treated with 1,000ppm DDE was examined for metabolites. Untreated rats had livers removed, 100ppm DDT was added, and livers were homogenized and analyzed for metabolites. All rats treated with DDT by stomach tube died within 4.5 to 6 hours. Composite samples of livers yielded primarily unaltered DDT with some DDD at a ratio of 14:1. Livers of rats fed a diet containing 1,500ppm DDT contained DDT, DDD, and DDE at a ratio of 3:5:1. In-vitro liver homogenate yielded at 1:3 ratio of DDT to DDD with no detectable DDE. A control aliquot yielded no DDT or related compounds. Rats treated with 100mg/kg DDD by stomach tube had 1-chloro-2,2-bis-(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (1022226) (DDMU) present in the liver at a DDD ratio of 1:13. Liver and kidney from DDE treated rats yielded only unchanged DDE. Urine samples showed no conversion of DDE to other metabolites. The authors suggest that rats metabolize DDT to DDE or DDD, from DDD to DDMU, and then through several steps including a probable intermediate aldehyde to a final bis(p-chlorophenyl)acetic-acid.