THE METABOLISM OF N-NONANE IN MALE FISCHER-344 RATS

The urinary metabolites of n-nonane in male Fischer 344 rats, after ad ministering the hydrocarbon by gavage, included gamma-valerolactone, d elta-hexanolactone, 2,5-hexanedione, delta-heptanolactone, 1-heptanol, 2-nonanol, 3-nonanol, 4-nonanone and 5-methyl-2-(3-oxobutyl)furan. Me tabolism strongly favoured the formation of monoalcohols and lactones, which are the products of appropriately substituted hydroxy carboxyli c acids. The metabolites were identified using gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). High pressure liqui d chromatography (HPLC) permitted the detection of the dicarboxylic ac ids malonic acid and glutaric acid in the n-nonane dosed rat urines.