4,4'-DICHLOROBENZILIC ACID URINARY-EXCRETION BY DICOFOL PESTICIDE APPLICATORS

Twenty-four-hour urine samples were examined for 4,4'-dichlorobenzilic acid (DBA) pre-, during and post-exposure of dicofol applicators and mixer-loaders. Pre-exposure DBA excretion rates were not zero, since chlorobenzilate, a compound also yielding DBA as a urinary metabolite, has been used previously by the workers. Among workers, mean daily DBA excretion rates during the exposure period ranged from 19 to 42-mu-g/day. Ninety-eight percent of this variation was explained by differences in estimated dicofol deposits onto their skin. Only (0.25 +/- 0.02)% of the estimated dermal deposit appeared as urinary DBA. Post-exposure urinary DBA declined with a half-life of 7 +/- 4 days.