Dinitro Compounds (Aromatic) 
Studies with soil microorganisms showed that aromatic dinitro 
compounds were slowly degraded (Erikson, 1941; Moore, 1949; Simpson and 
Evans, 1953). When 2,4-dinitrophenol or 2,4-dinitro-o-cresol is exposed 
to bacteria (Pseudomonas) (Simpson and Evans, 1953) or an atypical 
Corynebacterium simplex (Jensen and Gundersen, 1955) the yellow color 
bleached with the appearance of nitrite. 
In man, 2,4-dinitro-o-cresol acted as a cumulative poison and was 
eliminated slowly over a period of weeks. Small amounts were eliminated 
unchanged in the urine. 
When fed to rabbits, less than 20% of 2,4-dinitro-o-cresol was excreted 
via the urine as metabolites. Five percent was excreted unchanged and 1% 
as a conjugate. The main urinary metabolites were 6-acetamido-4-nitro- 
o-cresol (1-1.5%) and O-conjugates of this compound (10%). 3-amino-5- 
nitro salicylic acid and derivatives of 4-amino-6-nitro-o-cresol were also 
excreted in small amounts (Smith et al., 1953). 
Paper electrophoresis of serum of rats poisoned by consumption, in- 
halation, or skin exposure to the herbicides dinitroisopropyl-(DNPP) and 
dinitrobutylphenol (DNBP) showed DNPP- and DNBP-albumin complexes. Liver, 
kidney, spleen, and blood contained metabolites. Although not identified, 
chemical reactions indicate that the herbicides were enzymatically reduced 
in the liver to primary amines (Henneberg, 1964). 
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