Biotransformation of derivatives of the fungicides pentachloronitrobenzene and hexachlorobenzene in mammals.

Biotransformation of N-acetyl-S-(2,3,5,6-tetrachlorophenyl)cysteine and N-acetyl-S-(pentachlorophenyl)cysteine-S-oxide, of the metabolites of both PCNB and HCB, namely N-acetyl-S-(pentachlorophenyl)cysteine, pentachlorothiophenol, pentachlorothioanisole, 4-methylthio-tetrachlorothiophenol and tetrachloro-1,4-bis(methylthio)benzene, and of the PCNB metabolites, S,S'-(tetrachloro-p-phenylene)dicysteine, and the isomeric tetrachlorothiophenols, has been studied in rabbits, rats and mice, as well as in vitro. Biotransformation products such as thiophenols, thioanisoles, chlorinated benzenes, phenols and anisoles have been identified by g.l.c.