Tissue retention and metabolism of 2,3,4,3′,4′-pentachlorobiphenyl in mink and mouse

2,3,4,3′,4′-Pentachlorobiphenyl was retained as the unmetabolized parent compound in liver and fat from mouse and mink. In contrast, in mouse plasma - 4-hydroxy-2,3,5,3′,4′-pentachlorobiphenyl - was present in concentrations 15 times higher than that of the parent chlorobiphenyl. In mink plasma the parent compound and the 4-hydroxylated metabolite were present in similar concentrations. Faeces was the major excretion pathway in both animals. Both the mouse and the mink excreted mainly the parent compound accompanied by trace amounts of hydroxylated metabolites but the mink also excreted significant amounts of hydrophilic metabolites, that gave hydroxylated products after acidic hydrolysis. Five hydroxylated metabolites, 4-hydroxy-2,3,5,3′,4′-pentachlorobiphenyl, 4-hydroxy-3,5,2′,3′,4′-pentachlorobiphenyl, 2-hydroxy-3,4,2′,3′,4′-pentachlorobiphenyl, 5-hydroxy-3,4,2′,3′,4′-pentachlorobiphenyl and 5-hydroxy-2,3,4,3′,4′-pentachlorobiphenyl, were identified in excreta of mink and mouse.