Residual profile of DDT in egg yolks of laying hens following an oral application

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Abstract
Laying hens were treated orally with a single dose of DDT 1 mg kg‐1 (body weight). Concentrations (μg g‐1) of DDT and its metabolites, DDE and DDD, in egg yolks laid for 21 days after the DDT treatment were determined by normal‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography. After the DDT treatment, DDT residues were found in the yolk on the second day while DDE was present after 2–4 days. No DDD was detected (‐1). The highest levels of DDT (mean 0.52 μg g‐1) and DDE (mean 0.11 μg g‐1) were observed on the fifth and sixth days, respectively. DDT and DDE levels then decreased slowly and were still detected to the twenty‐first day. The half‐lives of DDT and DDE in egg yolks were estimated to be 7.6 and 12.8 days, respectively. In the egg yolk, the decrease of the metabolite, DDE, was slower than that of DDT (P < 0.05). The present data would be useful in judging the duration of residues of the DDTs in eggs.