Urinary and Faecal Excretion of Phenanthrene and Phenanthrols by Rats Following Oral, Intraperitoneal, or Intrapulmonary Application

Abstract Excretion of phenanthrene and its metabolites, 1–; 2–; 3–; 4– and 9–OH–phenanthrene after alkaline and acidic saponification of urine and faeces, has been studied in rats following oral, intraperitoneal and intrapulmonary application of phenanthrene. GC and GC/MS methods have been used as analytical techniques. In all cases 1,2-oxidation of phenanthrene was found to be the predominant pathway. Total excretion of 11–18% of the phenanthrene administered by the above routes was observed indicating the presence of water-soluble metabolites other than sulfates and glucuronides. Phenanthrene apparently is suitable for biologically monitoring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The reasons are: a) the large amounts of phenanthrene and its metabolites excreted in the urine within a period of 3 days following intrapulmonary (1.3%), intraperitoneal (2.9%), or oral (4.1%) administration of phenanthrene, respectively; b) varied metabolites are formed which can reflect qualitatively the regiospecific monooxygen...