Extraction and determination of chloroform in rat blood and tissues by gas chromatography-electron-capture detection: distribution of chloroform in the animal body.

We have developed a simple, sensitive, and accurate method for the determination of chloroform in rat blood, brain, kidney, liver, and fat. The detection limit is 2.5 ng of chloroform per gram of tissue. Studies of in vivo distribution of chloroform in rat blood and target tissues after intragastric intubation of chloroform/water show that the amount of chloroform accumulated in the different tissues increases with increasing doses. Fat tissue contains the greatest amount of chloroform. The accumulation of chloroform in rat blood and target tissues seems to be maximum 1.5 h after administration, and the apparent chloroform concentration is almost at baseline value 8 h later.