Metabolism of insecticides, IX(1) isolation and identification of dieldrin metabolites from urine of rabbits after oral administration of dieldrin-14C

After oral administration of dieldrin-14C to rabbits, six different metabolites were isolated from the urine. The main metabolite was present in amounts of about 86%. The chemical structure of this compound was determined after purification and crystallization. It was identified as one of the two enantiomorphic isomers of 6.7-trans-hydroxy-dihydro-aldrin with a specific rotation of (α)D20 = −13.7.The acute oral toxicity to mammals of the metabolite was found to be lower than that of dieldrin (LD50 = 1250 mg/kg mice).After intravenous administration of the metabolite to male rats, the animals excrete 82.2% of the administered activity within 3 days. Analysis of the extract of faeces gave 84% of unchanged 6.7-trans-dihydroxy-dihydro-aldrin and 16% of a more hydrophilic compound.