ABSTRACT:The present study was performed to compare the metabolite profiles of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the liver and serum of rats, hamsters, and guinea pigs after exposure to a PCB mixture, Kanechlor 500 (100 mg/kg, i.p.). The percentage of contribution of major PCB residues in the liver 5 days after exposure indicated that nonplanar PCBs with 2,4-or 2,3,4-chlorine substitution were more abundant in the liver in the order rats (43% of total PCBs) > hamsters (20%) > guinea pigs (11%), whereas coplanar PCBs with 4-, 3,4-, or 3,4,5-chlorine substitution were predominant in guinea pigs (61%), followed by hamsters and rats (both 26%). The hepatic concentrations of methylsulfonyl metabolites (MeSO 2 -CBs) were higher in the order guinea pigs > rats > hamsters. Whereas hamsters formed minute amounts of MeSO 2 -CBs from 2,5-dichlorosubstituted PCBs, guinea pigs formed higher levels of metaMeSO 2 -CBs derived from 2,3,6-trichloro-substituted PCBs. In contrast, the serum concentrations of phenolic PCBs were higher in the order hamsters > rats > guinea pigs. Metabolites were predominated by 4-OH-2,3,5,3,4-pentaCB (89% contribution) for rats, 3-OH-2,4,5,2,4-pentaCB (56%) for guinea pigs, and dihydroxylated metabolites (39%) for hamsters. The reduced elimination of coplanar PCBs and the specific distribution of MeSO 2 -and phenolic PCBs may have implications for the differences in sensitivity to PCB toxicity among rats, guinea pigs, and hamsters.