Urinary metabolites of 2, 5, 2', 5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl in the nonhuman primate.

The metabolism of 2, 5, 2', 5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCB) in nonhuman primates was found to be different from that previously reported in lower species. Monohydroxy TCB (I), the only metabolite in the ether extracts of rat urine, is a minor metabolite in the urine of nonhuman primates. The two major metabolites identified in the urine were dihydroxy TCB (II) and trans-3,4-dihydro-3,4-dihydroxy TCB (III). A second minor metabolite was identified as hydroxy-3,4-dihydro-3,4-dihydroxy TCB (IV). None of the above mentioned metabolites have been reported in primates and only I and III have been identified in lower animals. It is concluded that a likely mechanism for metabolism of TCB in primates is through arene oxide intermediates. This observation is of particular importance in that these types of intermediates are known to alkylate cellular components causing carcinogenic, mutagenic, necrogenic and teratogenic effects.