Studies on the biliary excretion and metabolites of hexachlorobenzene in the rat.

1. The biliary excretion of metabolites of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) was studied in rats dosed intragastrically with 14C-HCB. Approx. 80% dose was absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. An average of 3.6% dose was recovered in the bile of bile-duct-cannulated rats in 48 h. 2. By g.l.c.-mass spectrometry, 2.0 and 1.8% of the 14C excreted in the 24 h bile was shown to be due to unchanged HCB and pentachlorobenzene (PCB), respectively. The major metabolite pentachlorophenol (PCP) accounted for 24.2%. 3. Sulphur-containing metabolites were not identified. However, the hepatic GSH concn. decreased by 50% within 24 h following oral administration of HCB (200 mg/kg).