PHARMACOKINETIC BEHAVIOR OF 4-NONYLPHENOL IN HUMANS

In this study, the pharmacokinetic behavior of 4-nonylphenol (NP) was investigated in human volunteers. In order to avoid analytical backgro und problems, isotope labeled C-13(6)-NP was synthesized. Both after i ntravenous and oral application, the elimination half-life of the pare nt compound from the blood was 2-3 h. Bioavailability after oral appli cation (determined by oral and intravenous AUCs) was about 20%. NP see ms to distribute into the lipid phase of the body within 2 h. Furtherm ore, levels of NP and 4-octylphenol (OP) in non-occupationally exposed persons were investigated by analyzing human autopsy adipose tissue s amples. NP concentrations ranged from 19 to 85 ng/g lipids, OP concent rations from 0.58 to 4.07 ng/g lipids. These values were both in the r ange of the analytical background contamination. No NP and OP ethoxyla tes (ethoxylate number 1,2) were found in any of the samples (detectio n limit of 10 ng/g lipids for NP ethoxylates and 0.5 ng/g lipids for O P ethoxylates). On the basis of the pharmacokinetic data from this stu dy, actual adipose tissue concentrations were estimated to lie a facto r of 50 below analytical background values. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.