A gas chromatographic technique utilizing a microwave-sustained helium plasma detector (GC/MPD) was developed to study the biotransformation of lH,lH,2If,2If-perfluorodecanol (CsF,,CH2CH20H) in adult male rats. The metabolic products resulting from a single oral dose of the alcohol were isolated from the blood plasma by an extraction technique, derivatized, and characterized by the GC/MPD system with confirmation by fluorine NMR. Four fluorinecontaining metabolites were detected by the fluorine-specific channel of the element-selective MPD and one of these was shown to be perfluorooctanoate (C7FISC00-). Appearance of perfluorooctanoate as a metabolite and an additional observation of concomitant elevation in plasma and urinary inorganic fluoride suggests that the biotransformation of the above alcohol to the perfluorooctanoate involves defluorination of the CF2 group adjacent to the CH, group in the parent compound.
' Abbreviations used: GC, gas chromatography; MPD, microwave plasma detector; FID, flame ionization detector.