A novel preharvest technology that reduces certain pathogenic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tracts of food animals involves feeding an experimental
sodium chlorate-containing product (ECP) to animals 24-72 h prior to slaughter. To determine the metabolism and disposition of the active ingredient in ECP, four male Sprague-Dawley (approximately 350 g) rats received a single oral dose of
sodium [36Cl]
chlorate (3.0 mg/kg
body weight). Urine, feces, and respired air were collected for 72 h. Radiochlorine absorption was 88-95% of the administered dose, and the major excretory route was the urine. Parent
chlorate was the major species of radiochlorine present in urine at 6 h (approximately 98%) but declined sharply by 48 h (approximately 10%);
chloride was the only other species of radiochlorine detected. Except for carcass remains (4.6% of dose), skin (3.2%), and gastrointestinal tract (1.3%), remaining tissues contained relatively low quantities of radioactivity, and >98% of radiochlorine remaining in the liver, kidney, and skeletal muscle was
chloride.
Chlorite instability was demonstrated in rat urine and bovine urine. The previously reported presence of
chlorite in excreta of
chlorate-dosed rats was shown to be an artifact of the analytical methods employed. Results from this study indicate that
chlorate is rapidly absorbed and reduced to
chloride, but not
chlorite, in rats.