TOTAL AND CONJUGATED URINARY PARANITROPHENOL AFTER AN ACUTE PARATHIONINGESTION

In a fatal case of acute parathion ingestion, paranitrophenyl sulphate , the paranitrophenyl glucuronide and free paranitrophenol excretion o n day 3 were quantitated using a HPLC reverse method with a C-18 colum n following sample preparation using a C-18 mini-column and methanol e lution. Paranitrophenyl sulphate amounted to about 81% of the total co njugates excreted. The results were confirmed by collecting the fracti ons identified by high-performance liquid chromatography, hydrolysing them with concentrated hydrochloric acid and quantitating paranitrophe nol by gas chromatography. Total paranitrophenol excretion was also de termined. The excreted paranitrophenol was equivalent to 76 mg parathi on (lethal dose in humans between 20 and 100mg). No changes in the con centrations of paranitrophenol or its conjugates were seen in the urin e on storage, frozen over a one year period.