Metabolism of p-tert.-butyltoluene in the rat and guinea pig.

The metabolism of p-tert.-butyltoluene (TBT) was studied in the rat and guinea pig. Both the methyl and the tert.-butyl group were oxidized to alcohol and carboxylic acid derivatives in these species. The major urinary metabolites in rats were p-tert.-butylbenzoic acid and its alcohol derivative 2-(p-carboxyphenyl)-2-methylpropan-1-ol whereas p-tert.-butylbenzoylglycine was the most prominent metabolite in guinea pig urine. No significant differences in metabolism were found when TBT was given intragastrically or by inhalation. The intragastric administration of 14C-TBT to rats showed that the bulk of the excretion of radioactivity occurred within three days. A recovery of 83% was achieved and the ratio of urinary/faecal radioactivity was roughly 3.5:1.