Epoxides as obligatory intermediates in the metabolism of alpha-halohydrins

Health risk assessment for dietary exposure to 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol, 2-monochloropropane-1,2-diol, and glycidol for Italian consumers

3-Monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD), 2-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (2-MCPD) and 2,3-epoxy-1-propanol (glycidol), in their free form or esterified to fatty acids, are food contaminants formed during the refinement of oils and fats. We conducted a survey to quantify the levels of these compounds in 130 food items, in order to assess the exposure to them in food and the consequent health risk for consumers. Food samples, including infant formula, were analysed by gas-chromatography mass spectrometry with the indirect method, and we used the latest open access food consumption database for the Italian population for a probabilistic assessment of exposure. We adopted an in silico approach to fill the gap for the toxicity of 2-MCPD. The occurrence values for the three contaminants in food were in most cases lower than or comparable to those reported in previous surveys. Exposure assessment for the most exposed individuals (95thpercentiles of consumers only) of different age groups, gave values below the tolerable daily intake recommended by the European Food Safety Authority for 3-MCPD and below the simulated or predicted toxicity thresholds for 2-MCPD, indicating a negligible risk due to dietary exposure to these contaminants. For glycidol, however, estimated exposure indicated a non-negligible increase in cancer risk, and a margin of exposure <25,000 for younger population groups, indicating a potential health concern.

Metabolites of 2- and 3-Monochloropropanediol (2- and 3-MCPD) in Humans: Urinary Excretion of 2-Chlorohydracrylic Acid and 3-Chlorolactic Acid after Controlled Exposure to a Single High Dose of Fatty Acid Esters of 2- and 3-MCPD

SCOPE

Fatty acid esters of 2-monochloropropane-1,3-diol (2-MCPD) and 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) are formed during the deodorization of vegetable oils. After lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis in the intestine, 2- and 3-MCPD are absorbed, but their ensuing human metabolism is unknown.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The compounds 2-chlorohydracrylic acid (2-ClHA) and 3-chlorolactic acid (3-ClLA) resulting from oxidative metabolism of 2-MCPD and 3-MCPD, respectively, are identified and quantified in human urine samples. An exposure study with 12 adults is conducted to determine the urinary excretion of 2-ClHA and 3-ClLA. The participants eat 12 g of hazelnut oil containing 24.2 mg kg^-1 2-MCPD and 54.5 mg kg^-1 3-MCPD in the form of fatty acid esters. Average daily amounts of "background" excretion before the exposure are 69 nmol 2-ClHA and 3.0 nmol 3-ClLA. The additional mean excretion due to the uptake of the hazelnut oil amounts to 893 nmol 2-ClHA (34.0% of the 2-MCPD dose) and 16.4 nmol 3-ClLA (0.28% of the 3-MPCD dose).

CONCLUSIONS

The products of oxidative metabolism of 2- and 3-MCPD, 2-ClHA, and 3-ClLA, are described for the first time in humans. Due to the lack of specificity, the metabolites may not be used as exposure biomarkers to low doses of bound 2- and 3-MCPD, respectively.

Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission induced autophagy attenuates cell apoptosis caused by 3-chlorpropane-1,2-diol in HEK293 cells

3-chlorpropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) is a heat-induced food process contaminant that threatens human health. As the primary target organ, the morphological and functional impairment of kidney and the related mechanism such as apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction were observed. However, the precise molecular mechanism remains largely unclear. This study aimed to explore the important role of mitochondrial fission and autophagy in the 3-MCPD-caused apoptosis of human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells. The results showed that blockage of dynamin-related protein-1 (Drp1) by mitochondrial division inhibitor 1 (Mdivi-1, 15 μM) apparently restored 3-MCPD-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, accompanied by prevented the collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP depletion, and suppressed the occurrence of autophagy. Induction of autophagy occurred following 2.5-10 mM 3-MCPD treatment for 24 h via AMPK mediated mTOR signaling pathway. Meanwhile, enhancement of autophagy by pretreatment with rapamycin (1 nM) alleviated the loss of cell viability and apoptosis induced by 3-MCPD whereas suppression of autophagy by 3-methyladenine (1 mM) further accelerated apoptosis, which was modulated through the mitochondria-dependent apoptotic pathway. Taking together, this study provides novel insights into the 3-MCPD-induced apoptosis in HEK293 cells and reveals that autophagy has potential as an effective intervention strategy for the treatment of 3-MCPD-induced nephrotoxicity.

Synthesis of 2-Monochloropanol Fatty Acid Esters and Their Acute Oral Toxicities in Swiss Mice

A novel synthetic route was designed, developed, and utilized to synthesize six high-purity 2-monochloropropanediol fatty acid esters (2-MCPD esters), a group of potential processing-induced food contaminants. A chlorine atom was introduced to C-2 of a diethyl malonate molecule, which was reduced by NaBH₄ and followed by esterification using fatty acids. The reaction products were isolated and purified using silica gel columns to obtain three 2-MCPD monoesters and three diesters at about 50-54% and 56-59% yields, respectively. In addition, 2-MCPD monopalmitate and dipalmitate were examined for their acute oral toxicities in Swiss mice. The LD₅₀ values of 2-MCPD mono- and dipalmitate were greater than 5000 mg/kg body weight (BW), along with detectable nephrotoxicity and testicular toxicity. The results of this study may promote future investigation of MCPD ester toxicology and detection.

Carcinogenicity of Monochloro-1,2-Propanediol (α-Chlorohydrin, 3-MCPD)

3-Monochloro-1,2-propanediol (3-MCPD) is a by-product found in trace amounts, generally less than 1 mg/kg (<1 ppm), in hydrolyzed vegetable protein produced through acid hydrolysis. In a chronic study with F344 rats, high doses of 3-MCPD produced benign renal tumors in both sexes and Leydig-cell and mammary tumors in males. 3-MCPD is genotoxic in vitro, but there is no evidence of genotoxicity in vivo. There is some question about the mechanism responsible for the carcinogenicity of 3-MCPD in certain species. Here we present a critical review of the toxicological, metabolic, and mechanistic data on 3-MCPD. On the basis of this review, the tumors reported in F344 rats are concluded to have developed as a result of nongenotoxic mechanisms and are considered not to be relevant to humans exposed to trace amounts of 3-MCPD. This conclusion was based on the lack of carcinogenicity of 3-MCPD in mice or Sprague-Dawley rats; the benign nature of the tumors involved; the dependence of the Leydig-cell and mammary tumors on species-and strain-dependent mechanisms involving chronic changes in hormone balance; the association of the renal tumors with chronic nephropathy and nephrotoxicity; and differences between bacterial and mammalian systems in the metabolism of 3-MCPD that likely account for its genotoxic activity in certain in vitro test systems. At trace levels in foods, 3 MCPD is considered not to pose a carcinogenic risk to humans.

Formation of epichlorohydrin, a known rodent carcinogen, following oral administration of 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol in rats

The observed toxicity and carcinogenicity of 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol (DCP) in rodents is thought to be due to the formation of reactive metabolites, epichlorohydrin (ECH) and dichloroacetone (DCA). However, there is no direct evidence for the formation of these metabolites from exposure to DCP in rodents due to the challenges of measuring these reactive intermediates directly in vivo. The objective of this work was to investigate the metabolism of DCP to ECH and DCA in vivo by first developing a sensitive analytical method in a suitable biological matrix and analyzing samples from rats administered DCP. DCA reacted rapidly in vitro in rat blood, plasma, and liver homogenate, precluding its detection. Because ECH rapidly disappeared in liver homogenate, but was relatively long-lived in plasma and blood in vitro, blood was selected for analysis of this metabolite. Following a single oral dose of 50 mg/kg DCP in male or female Harlan Sprague-Dawley rats, ECH was detected in blood with a maximum concentration reached at ≤13.7 min. ECH was cleared rapidly with a half-life of ca. 33 and 48 min in males and females, respectively. Following a single oral dose of 25 mg/kg ECH in male and female rats, the elimination half-life of ECH was ca. 34 and 20 min, respectively; the oral bioavailability of ECH was low (males, 5.2%; females, 2.1%), suggesting extensive first pass metabolism of ECH following oral administration. The area under the concentration vs time curve for ECH following oral administration of DCP and intravenous administration of ECH was used to estimate the percent of the DCP dose converted to ECH in rats. On the basis of this analysis, we concluded that in male and female rats following oral administration of 50 mg/kg DCP, ≥1.26% or ≥1.78% of the administered dose was metabolized to ECH, respectively.

Toxicology, occurrence and risk characterisation of the chloropropanols in food: 2-monochloro-1,3-propanediol, 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol and 2,3-dichloro-1-propanol

Great attention has been paid to chloropropanols like 3-monochloro-1,2-propanediol and the related substance glycidol due to their presence in food and concerns about their toxic potential as carcinogens. The other chloropropanols 2-monochloro-1,3-propanediol, 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol and 2,3-dichloro-1-propanol have been found in certain foods, but occurrence data are generally limited for these compounds. 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol has the most toxicological relevance showing clear carcinogenic effects in rats possibly via a genotoxic mechanism. The dietary exposure to 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol is quite low. Calculated "Margins of Exposure" values are above 10,000. It is concluded that the 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol exposure is of low concern for human health. The toxicology of 2,3-dichloro-1-propanol has not been adequately investigated. Its toxicological potential regarding hepatotoxic effects seems to be lower than that of 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol. Limited data show that 2,3-dichloro-1-propanol occurs only in trace amounts in food, indicating that exposure to 2,3-dichloro-1-propanol seems to be also of low concern for human health. The dietary 2-monochloro-1,3-propanediol burden appears to be lower than that of 3-monochloro-1,2-propanediol. An adequate risk assessment for 2-monochloro-1,3-propanediol cannot be performed due to limited data on the toxicology and occurrence in food. This article reviews the relevant information about the toxicology, occurrence and dietary exposure to the chloropropanols 2-monochloro-1,3-propanediol, 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol and 2,3-dichloro-1-propanol.

Analytical approaches for MCPD esters and glycidyl esters in food and biological samples: a review and future perspectives

Esters of 2 - and 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (MCPD) and glycidol esters are important contaminants of processed edible oils used as foods or food ingredients. This review describes the occurrence and analysis of MCPD esters and glycidol esters in vegetable oils and some other foods. The focus is on the analytical methods based on both direct and indirect methods. Methods of analysis applied to oils and lipid extracts of foods have been based on transesterification to free MCPD and determination by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (indirect methods) and by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (direct methods). The evolution and performance of the different methods is described and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. The application of direct and indirect methods to the analysis of foods and to research studies is described. The metabolism and fate of MCPD esters and glycidol esters in biological systems and the methods used to study these in body tissues studies are described. A clear understanding of the chemistry of the methods is important when choosing those suitable for the desired application, and will contribute to the mitigation of these contaminants.

3-Chloro-2-hydroxypropylmercapturic acid and α-chlorohydrin as biomarkers of occupational exposure to epichlorohydrin

Until now no urinary biomarker of exposure was available to assess human exposure to epichlorohydrin (ECH). For this purpose the urinary excretion of mercapturic acids and α-chlorohydrin (α-CH), which are potential metabolites of ECH in humans was investigated. This study was undertaken in a chemical plant in which ECH is used in the production of glycidyl ethers. Urine samples were collected from 19 persons at the beginning and at the end of work-shifts and at the morning after the last work-shift. Respiratory air concentrations of ECH were determined by personal air monitoring (PAM) and were found to range from<0.03 to 1.1 mg/m(3) (8 h-TWA, median 0.09, n=23). The determined respiratory exposure to ECH was in all cases below the current occupational exposure limit of 4 mg/m(3) for ECH (8 h-TWA-OEL). In one additional case a dermal exposure to an unknown amount of technical ECH was noted. Urinary metabolites were isolated by ethyl acetate extraction or by lyophilization and determined by GC-MS. In ethyl acetate extracts of acidified urine samples of workers with potential occupational exposure to ECH, 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropylmercapturic acid (CHPMA) was identified with GC-MS and the concentrations measured ranged from<0.05 (detection limit) to 5.35 mmol/mol creatinine. The increase of the CHPMA excretion during the work-shifts, corrected for creatinine excretion, correlated well with the 8 h-TWA respiratory air concentrations of ECH (r(2)=0.94, n=7). For 8 individuals it was possible to assess an urinary half-life for the excretion of CHPMA (2.54±0.94 h). By extrapolating the relation between the ambient air concentrations of ECH and the urinary CHPMA excretions, an excretion of 6.2 mmol CHPMA/mol creatinine (tolerance levels of 95% C.I.: 5.1-7.3) is predicted if ECH exposure is at the level of the current OEL. The urinary excretion of two other known metabolites of ECH in rats, namely α-CH and 2,3-dihydroxypropylmercapturic acid (DHPMA) was also investigated. α-CH was identified in urine of workers exposed to low air concentrations of ECH but DHPMA could only be identified after the dermal exposure to technical ECH. In these latter samples CHPMA and α-CH were determined up to 167 and 6.3 mmol/mol creatinine, respectively. From this investigation it is concluded that urinary excretion of the mercapturic acid CHPMA is an appropriate biomarker of human exposure to ECH. A tentative biological exposure index (BEI) of 6 mmol CHPMA/mol creatinine for ECH during an 8 h work-shift is proposed.

Mutagenic and carcinogenic risk of oxygen containing chlorinated C-3 hydrocarbons: putative secondary products of C-3 chlorohydrocarbons and chlorination of water

Oxygen containing C-3 chlorohydrocarbons are secondary products of C-3 chlorohydrocarbons formed during oxidation at air, in the metabolism of pesticides and by chlorination of drinking water. These compounds are mutagenic, genotoxic and carcinogenic. 2-Chloroacroleins are extremely strong mutagens and genotoxins and form 1,N2-cyclic deoxyguanosine adducts. The role of such adducts in mutagenicity and carcinogenicity is discussed.

Relationship between chlorofluorocarbon chemical structure and their Salmonella mutagenicity

This paper is a quantitative analysis of the relationship between the chemical structure and the Salmonella mutagenicity of a number of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC). The molecules were characterized by both molecular orbital and physical chemical parameters. The results of the analysis indicated that the CFC mutagenicity is correlated with two parameters: the free energy of binding to biological receptors, and the energy of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO). Since these are the same factors that would favor the cytochrome P-450-catalyzed metabolism, it would appear that the CFC mutagenicity is determined more by the rate of initial activation than by the rate of DNA attack.

Genotoxicity of 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol in the SOS chromotest and in the Ames test. Elucidation of the genotoxic mechanism

1,3-Dichloro-2-propanol (1,3-DCP-OH, glycerol dichlorohydrin) is of great importance in many industrial processes and has been detected in foodstuffs, in particular in soup spices and instant soups. It has been shown to be carcinogenic, genotoxic and mutagenic. Its genotoxic mechanisms are, however, not yet entirely understood. We have investigated whether alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) catalysed activation to the highly mutagenic and carcinogenic 1,3-dichloroacetone or formation of epichlorohydrin or other genotoxic compounds play a role for mutagenicity and genotoxicity. In our studies, no indications of ADH catalysed formation of 1,3-dichloropropane could be found, although we could demonstrate a clear activation by ADH in the case of 2-chloropropenol. Formation of allyl chloride could also be excluded. We found, however, clear evidence that epichlorohydrin formed chemically in the buffer and medium used in the test is responsible for genotoxicity. No indication was found that enzymatic formation of epichlorohydrin plays a role. Additional mutagenicity and genotoxicity studies with epichlorohydrin also confirmed the hypothesis that genotoxic effects of 1,3-DCP-OH depend on the chemical formation of epichlorohydrin.

Macromolecular adducts of ethylene oxide: a literature review and a time-course study on the formation of 7-(2-hydroxyethyl)guanine following exposures of rats by inhalation

The results of efforts to identify and quantify macromolecular adducts of ethylene oxide (ETO), to determine the source and significance of background levels of these adducts, and to generate molecular dosimetry data on these adducts are reviewed. A time-course study was conducted to investigate the formation and persistence of 7-(2-hydroxyethyl)guanine (7-HEG; Fig. 1) in various tissues of rats exposed to ETO by inhalation, providing information necessary for designing investigations on the molecular dosimetry of adducts of ETO. Male F344 rats were exposed 6 h/day for up to 4 weeks (5 days/wk) to 300 ppm ETO by inhalation. Another set of rats was exposed for 4 weeks to 300 ppm ETO, and then killed 1-10 days after cessation of exposures. DNA samples from control and treated rats were analyzed for 7-HEG using neutral thermal hydrolysis, HPLC separation, and fluorescence detection. The adduct was detectable in all tissues of treated rats following 1 day of ETO exposure and increased approximately linearly for 3-5 days before the rate of increase began to level off. Concentrations of 7-HEG were greatest in brain, but the extent of formation was similar in all tissues studied. The adduct disappeared slowly from DNA, with an apparent half-life of approx. 7 days. The shape of the formation curve and the in vivo half-life indicate that 7-HEG will approach steady-state concentrations in rat DNA by 28 days of ETO exposure. The similarity in 7-HEG formation in target and nontarget tissues indicates that the tissue specificity for tumor induction is due to factors in addition to DNA-adduct formation.

Is the nephrotoxicity of (R)-3-chlorolactate in the rat caused by 3-chloropyruvate?

1. When (R, S)-[3-36 Cl]chlorolactate was administered to male rats, two radioactive constituents were excreted in the urine. These were identified as 36Cl- and [3-36 Cl]chlorolactate which was subsequently shown to be essentially the (S)-isomer. 2. Analysis of the urinary oxalate content from rats receiving either (R)- or (S)-3-chlorolactate revealed that elevated levels were produced by the (R)-isomer whereas normal levels followed the administration of the (S)-isomer. 3. Treatment of (R,S)-3-chlorolactate with a modified Fenton's oxidizing system produced oxalate and an intermediate which was identified as 3-chloropyruvate. 4. 3-Chloropyruvate is a potent nephrotoxin in the rat producing a brief phase of diuresis when administered, increasing the urinary excretion of oxalate and inhibiting the oxidative metabolic capability of rat kidney tubules and rat kidney mitochondria in vitro. 5. Both (R)-3-chlorolactate and 3-chloropyruvate were shown to be inhibitors of the commercially-available pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. 6. 3-Chloropyruvate inhibits kidney mitochondrial metabolism possibly at the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex level and appears to be a metabolite of (R)- but not (S)-3-chlorolactate.

Disposition of inhaled 1-chloro-2-propanol in F344/N rats

Propylene chlorohydrins, of which 1-chloro-2-propanol (1-CP) is a constituent, used as intermediates in the manufacture of propylene oxide and have been identified as potential air pollutants. The objective of these studies was to determine whether changes in the inhaled exposure concentration would affect the disposition of 1-CP in rats. In addition, experiments were conducted to identify the carbon atom of 1-CP that is metabolized to CO2. Rats were exposed nose-only to [14C]1-CP for 6 hr to 8.3 +/- 1.0 ppm (26.1 +/- 3.2 micrograms/liter air) or 77 +/- 4 ppm (245 +/- 13 micrograms/liter air) (mean +/- SE). There were two major routes of elimination of 14C, urinary and exhalation of CO2, which together accounted for about 80% of the total 14C in excreta and carcass. Half-times for elimination of 14C in urine as 14CO2 were between 3 and 7 hr with no effect of exposure concentration on the elimination half-times for either route. After the end of exposure, kidneys, livers, trachea, and nasal turbinates contained high concentrations of [14C]1-CP equivalents at both exposure concentrations (30-50 nmol 14C/g tissue for the 8 ppm exposure level and 200-350 nmol 14C/g tissue for the 80 ppm exposure level). Elimination of 14C from tissues was biphasic with about 50% of the material in a tissue being rapidly eliminated with a half-time of 1 to 3 hr and the remaining material slowly eliminated with a half-time of 40 to 80 hr. There was no effect of exposure concentration on elimination half-times in tissues. Major metabolites detected in urine and tissues (liver, kidney, and lung) were N-acetyl-S-(hydroxypropyl)cysteine and/or S-(2-hydroxypropyl)-cysteine. Little unmetabolized 1-CP (less than 1%) was detected in analyzed tissues or urine. We propose a metabolic scheme in which the major pathway for metabolism of 1-CP is to CO2 (which is exhaled) and to cysteine conjugates and mercapturic acids that are excreted in the urine. Both carbon-2 and carbon-3 are metabolized in part to CO2.

Genotoxicity, metabolism and blood kinetics of epichlorohydrin in mice

Epichlorohydrin (ECH), a direct mutagen in vitro, did not induce chromosomal aberrations in bone-marrow cells of CD1 mice given single oral doses of 50 and 200 mg/kg in water. The ECH diol derivative (3-chloro-1,2-propanediol) was tested in vitro by a forward-mutation assay on the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe and showed a weak but significant mutagenic effect. The failure of ECH to induce mutagenic effects appears to be due to the rapid metabolic clearance of the compound in vivo. ECH blood kinetics at both doses, and at the same time the concentration of the diol, were determined. ECH rapidly disappeared from mouse blood, being no longer detectable 20 min after treatment. In contrast, 3-chloro-1,2-propanediol was measurable up to 5 h after dosage. No difference was observed in the kinetic and metabolic behavior of ECH after single and repeated doses (50 and 200 mg/kg/day for 7 days). When 3-chloro-1,2-propanediol was tested, neither glutathione depletion nor epoxide hydrolase inhibition (evaluated with both styrene-7,8-oxide and ECH as substrates) could be detected in mouse liver. Finally, no difference in ECH blood kinetics or metabolism were observed in experiments in which the compound was administered (200 mg/kg) intraperitoneally in water or orally as a solution in dimethyl sulfoxide.

Metabolism and disposition of the flame retardant tris(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate in the rat

The metabolism and disposition of the flame retardant, tris(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate (Tris-BP), were studied after po and iv administration of the 14C-labeled compound to the male rat. Tris-BP was readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and rapidly distributed throughout the body. The distribution and excretion of Tris-BP derived radioactivity were similar after either po or iv administration. The only effects of route of administration on tissue distribution were slightly higher concentrations in liver after po administration and in lung after iv administration. The initial elimination of Tris-BP derived radioactivity in urine, feces, and as CO2 accounted for approximately 50% of the dose in 24 hr. An analysis of Tris-BP derived radioactivity remaining in the tissues one day after administration indicated that most of the radioactivity in all tissues was in the form of various metabolites rather than the parent compound. The terminal clearance of Tris-BP derived radioactivity from most of the tissues studied was best described by a single component exponential decay with a half-life of approximately 2.5 days. Clearance from liver and kidney was somewhat slower having a half-life of approximately 3.8 days. Approximately 33% of the radioactivity excreted in urine and approximately 50% of the radioactivity excreted in bile were identified by cochromatography with synthesized standards on high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Six metabolites and a trace of the parent compound were identified in urine and bile by this method. The six metabolites products of dealkylation and dehydrobromination of the parent compound. The metabolites of Tris-BP isolated from urine and bile were also formed in vitro by NADPH-dependent microsomal enzymes from rat liver. The soluble enzymes from liver metabolized Tris-BP to at least three unidentified polar metabolites.

The effect of the isomers of alpha-cholorohydrin and racemic beta-chlorolactate on the rat kidney

The (R)- and (S)-isomers of the male antifertility agent alpha-chlorohydrin have been synthesized. When administered to rats, the (R)-isomer induced a period of diuresis and glucosuria, whereas the (S)-isomer, which possesses the antifertility activity, had no detrimental action on the kidney. Neither of the isomers of alpha-chlorohydrin nor those of an active analogue, 3-amino-1-chloropropan-2-ol, had any inhibitory activity on the oxidative metabolism of glucose or lactate in isolated kidney tubules. However, beta-chlorolactate, a metabolite common to both compounds, inhibited the oxidation of glucose, lactate, pyruvate and glutamate to CO2. It is proposed that the antifertility action of the (S)-isomers of alpha-chlorohydrin and 3-amino-1-chloropropan-2-ol is unrelated to the renal toxicity of the (R)-isomers, a toxic action involving the inhibition of oxidative metabolism by (S)-beta-chlorolactate or a further product of this metabolite.

The comparative metabolism of 2-bromoethanol and ethylene oxide in the rat

1. The metabolism of 2-bromo[U-14C]ethanol an [U-14C]ethylene oxide has been studied in the rat. 2. As both compounds give rise to similar amounts of two urinary metabolites, identified as S-(2-hydroxyethyl)cysteine and N-acetyl-S-(2-hydroxyethyl)cysteine, it is proposed that 2-bromoethanol is converted into ethylene oxide in vivo. 3. A minor metabolite of 2-bromoethanol has been identified as N-acetyl-S-(carboxymethyl)cysteine. 4. The metabolism of bromoacetaldehyde and bromoacetic acid has been investigated; N-acetyl-S-(carboxymethyl)cysteine had been shown to be a common urinary metabolite. 5. An oxidative metabolic pathway is proposed for 2-bromoethanol, via bromoacetaldehyde and bromoacetic acid, to N-acetyl-S-(carboxymethyl)cysteine.

The metabolism of 1,3-dibromopropane by the rat

1. The metabolism of 1,3-dibromopropane had been investigated in the rat. Two conjugated metabolites have been isolated from the urine and identified as S-(3-hydroxypropyl)cysteine and N-acetyl-S-(3-hydroxypropyl)cysteine. 2. An oxidation product, identified as beta-bromolactic acid, has been isolated as a urinary metabolite. 3. 1,3-dibromopropane is not excreted unchanged in expired air or in the urine. Approx. 15% of the dose (100 mg/kg) is excreted as metabolic products over 50 h and 3.5% as CO2 within 6 h, indicating that oxidation is the main route of detoxication.

1,2-Dichloropropane: metabolism and fate in the rat

1. The metabolism of 1,2-dichloropropane in the rat has been investigated. The major urinary metabolite has been isolated and identified as N-acetyl-S-(2-hydroxypropyl)cysteine. Two minor metabolites of 1,2-dichloropropane have been identified as beta-chlorolactate and N-acetyl-S-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)cysteine. 2. The fate of 1-chloro-2-hydroxypropane, a proposed intermediate metabolite of 1,2-dichloropropane, has been investigated. Apart from its known urinary metabolite, N-acetyl-S-(2-hydroxypropyl)cysteine, two oxidative metabolites were detected. These were identified as beta-chlorolactaldehyde and beta-chlorolactate. 3. A pathway is proposed for the metabolism and fate of 1,2-dichloropropane in the rat. This accounts for previous observations made for the fate of radioactivity from administration of 1,2-dichloro[1-14C]propane. 4. The microbial and mammalian metabolism of several halogen-containing foreign compounds is discussed.

The oxidative metabolism of 1-bromopropane in the rat

1. The metabolism of 1-bromopropane in the rat has been re-investigated. The previously known metabolites have been isolated and confirmed as the three mercapturic acids N-acetyl-S-propyl cysteine, N-acetyl-S-propyl cysteine-S-oxide and N-acetyl-S-(2-hydroxypropyl)cysteine. 2. Three further metabolites have been isolated from the urine of rats treated with 4-bromopropane. These have been identified as 3-bromopropionic acid and the mercapturic acids N-acetyl-S-(3-hydroxypropyl)cysteine and N-acetyl-S-(2-carboxyethyl)cysteine. 3. The metabolites of 3-bromopropanol and 3-chloropropanol in the rat have been shown to be the mercapturic acids N-acetyl-S-(3-hydroxypropyl)cysteine and N-acetyl-S-(2-carboxyethyl)cysteine and the corresponding 2-carboxyethyl halide. 4. Studies with 1-bromopropane and the 3-halopropanols in vitro indicate that oxidation of C3 and C2 of 1-bromopropane occurs before conjugation of the alkyl group with glutathione. The implications of these studies are discussed in relation to the mechanism of the biosynthesis of the S-(2-hydroxyalkyl)mercapturic acid metabolites derived from the alkyl halides.