Metabolism of trans-nonachlor and related chlordane components in rat and man.

The metabolic fate of trans-nonachlor and heptachlor in rats was studied in vivo and in vitro by using microsomal preparations of the liver. During in vivo studies the rate of excretion into urine and feces was monitored. The major metabolic products were collected from the feces and their chemical structures were determined by using various chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. The immediate major metabolic product of transnonachlor is trans-chlordane which is further converted to 1,2-dichlorochlordene and to oxychlordane. From the latter metabolite, two major stable products, 1-hydroxy-2-chlorochlordene and 1-hydroxy-2-chloro-2,3-epoxy-chlordene are formed. Another route of metabolism is a direct formation of chlordene chlorohydrin which acts as a precursor for 1,2-trans-dihydroxydi-hydrochlordene. The major metabolic products of heptachlor were heptachlor epoxide, 1-exo-hydroxyheptachlor epoxide and 1,2-dihydroxy-dihydrochlordene.