Metabolism of a new herbicide, tebuthiuron (1-[5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl]- 1,3-dimethylurea), in mouse, rat, rabbit, dog, duck, and fish.

Orally dosed tebuthiuron was readily absorbed in mice, rats, rabbits, dogs, and ducks. The compound was extensively metabolized and the metabolites were rapidly excreted in the urine of mice, rats, rabbits, and dogs and in the mixture of urine and feces in ducks. The major metabolites of tebuthiuron were formed by N-demthylation of the substituted urea side chain in each species examined, including fish. Oxidation of the dimethylethyl group occurred in mice, rats, dogs, rabbits, and ducks. The N-demethylation reaction at the 3-position of the urea proceded through an N-hydroxymethyl intermediate. No accumulation of tebuthiuron or its metabolites was observed in the animals, a finding consistent with the low order of toxicity observed in other studies.