The absorption of trichloroethylene and its metabolites from the urinary bladder of anesthetized dogs

In order to examine the absorption of trichloroethylene (TRI) and its metabolites from the urinary bladder of dogs, we injected TRI and its metabolites, i.e., chloral hydrate (CH), free trichloroethanol (F-TCE), trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and conjugated trichloroethanol (Conj-TCE), into the urinary bladder of anesthetized dogs, and measured the agents and their respective metabolites in the blood or serum, urine and bile. The percentage of water absorbed from the urinary bladder was 10-20% 2 h after the administration of all substances. The percentage of agents absorbed was 60-70% for the TRI and TCA groups, and 50-60% for the CH, F-TCE and Conj-TCE groups 2 h after administration. The combined urinary and biliary excretion rates of the absorbed materials from the urinary bladder 2 h after administration were 46% for F-TCE, 30% for CH, 6% for Conj-TCE and 0.5-1.0% for TRI and TCA. Urinary re-excretion rates of the total excreted amounts were 65-70% in TRI, CH and F-TCE groups, about 50% in TCA and 99% in Conj-TCE group. It is possible that all of the substances administered, particularly F-TCE, are metabolized to Conj-TCE in the urinary bladder.