Several recent studies have focused on the toxicodynamic implications of amphibian exposure to the commonly used herbicide atrazine (2-chloro-4-ethylamine-6-isopropylamino-s-triazine). These studies are an important part of the risk assessment process; however, the underlying mechanisms of atrazine toxicodynamics are lacking. In an attempt to more fully describe atrazine exposure, the toxicokinetics of atrazine were studied in stage-66 Xenopus laevis larvae. The absorption, distribution, and excretion capacity of these larvae were found to be comparable to those observed in fish. The calculated bioconcentration factor (BCF) was 1.5-1.6 mLwater/glarvae, and by use of whole-body autoradiography, the radiolabel was found to be concentrated in the gall bladder and gastrointestinal tract. Elimination of atrazine was rapid with a half-life of 48 min. The high metabolic capacity of stage-66 X. laevis larvae was demonstrated where, following 8 h of exposure to 14C-atrazine, the percentages of atrazine and its metabolites deethyldeisopropylatrazine (DACT), deisopropylatrazine (DIA), and deethylatrazine (DEA) in larvae, determined by thin-layer chromatography, were 49.8% +/- 3.3%, 9.8% +/- 2.1%, 16.1% +/- 2.5%, and 15.6% +/- 2.0%, respectively. An unknown metabolite(s) was also produced and accounted for the remaining proportion of the total body radioactive residues. This metabolite(s) is hypothesized to be a conjugate of either atrazine or one of its metabolites. These metabolites, namely, DIA, were responsible for the long elimination half-life (72 h) of the total body radioactive residues. These toxicokinetics data would provide better insights in the interpretation of toxicodynamic data.