1. Selective induction and inhibition experiments have been used to identify the cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms responsible for butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) bioactivation in mouse lung. 2. Pre-treatment of BALB/c mice with O,O,O-trimethylphosphorothioate (OOOMeP(S)), which prevented all the signs of toxicity observed following BHT treatment, inhibited the pulmonary activity of pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylase (PROD) and coumarin hydroxylase but not 4-nitrophenol hydroxylase. 3. Pulmonary coumarin hydroxylase activity was greater in DBA than in BALB/c mice but the severity of BHT-induced lung injury was similar. 4. Pre-treatment with pyrazole, which exacerbated BHT-induced lung injury, did not affect pulmonary coumarin hydroxylase or 4-nitrophenol hydroxylase activity but increased that of PROD. 5. Pre-treatment with OOOMeP(S) prevented the lethargy and weight-loss associated with naphthalene poisoning but not the pulmonary injury. Pre-treatment with pyrazole did not exacerbate naphthalene-induced injury. 6. Members of both CYP2F and 2B sub-families have been shown to exhibit PROD activity and 2F2 activates naphthalene in mouse lung. The current studies, however, indicate that 2F2 is unlikely to be a significant component of PROD activity in mouse lung. 2F2, like coumarin hydroxylase (2A5) and 4-nitrophenol hydroxylase (2E1), is not responsible for the pulmonary activation of BHT, which is largely attributable to an isoform of 2B, probably 2B10.