Metabolism and excretion of dimethoate following ingestion of overtolerance peas and a bolus dose

Data to guide an exposure assessment were obtained by giving sugar peas containing overtolerance dimethoate residues (17 ppm; 8% oxon) and a bolus dose of dimethoate to a healthy adult male. The dimethoate tolerance on peas was and remains 2 ppm. Serial total urine samples were collected and analysed for dimethoate and its oxon, dimethylphosphate, dimethylphosphorothioate (DMTP) and dimethylphosphorodithioate. The dose of dimethoate administered was approx. 0.1 mg/kg body weight and produced no symptoms of toxicity. Dimethylphosphates appeared in the urine within 2 hr. The major metabolite (about 60%) was DMTP. Only traces (< 0.5%) of dimethoate and oxon were recovered from urine. Acetylcholinesterase inhibition was not observed although urinary metabolites were prominent, indicating that they are better indicators of acute exposure than cholinesterase inhibition. The results obtained using a bolus dose were virtually identical to those from the trial with overtolerance peas, and indicated that dimethoate is readily absorbed and its urinary metabolites are readily eliminated following exposures to low doses (0.1 mg/kg body weight).