Characterization and quantitation of urinary metabolites of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) in rats

Fatty acid esters of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) are heat-induced contaminants formed from fats and sodium chloride. The mode of action for the 3-MCPD mediated induction of renal tubule neoplasms in rats is still unclear, which is in part due to lacking metabolism data. In the current study, urinary metabolites were identified by one- and two-dimensional ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry following oral administration of 3-MCPD or [¹³C₃]3-MCPD in rats. In addition to 3-MCPD itself, nine metabolites were identified. Four of those, N-acetyl-S-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)cysteine (DHPMA), 3-MCPD sulfate, β-chlorolactic acid (β-ClLA) and oxalic acid have been reported before. Five novel metabolites in rat urine were thiodiglycolic acid (TDGA), thionyldiglycolic acid (TNDGA), 3-MCPD glucuronide (at least three isomers), 3-carboxy-2-hydroxypropyl mercapturic acid (CHPMA), and 3-(S-carboxymethyl)mercaptolactic acid (CMMLA). Only three metabolites were excreted at mean dose ratios > 1% (after treatment with 50 mg 3-MCPD/kg body weight in male and female rats), i.e. 3-MCPD (7.3%, 9.7%), DHPMA (3.5%, 1.7%) and TDGA (1.1%, 4.0%). The overall mean dose excretion in urine samples (males: 12.2%, females: 16.3%) supported hypotheses on formation of conjugates/adducts of reactive metabolites and the possibility that dechlorination leads to suitable building blocks for amino acid and fatty acid synthesis. The identification of TDGA indicated the interim formation 2-chloroacetaldehyde, previously identified to mediate specific nephrotoxic effects of the cytostatic ifosfamide in rats.