Superoxide anion radical and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) are reactive oxygen metabolites which are thought to be involved in oxidant-induced lung injuries. Therefore, we studied their effects on the pulmonary metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene (BP) in rat lung microsomes. The microsomes were incubated with xanthine and xanthine oxidase to generate superoxide anion (effects verified with superoxide dismutase) or H2O2 and then the products formed during the metabolism of BP were measured. Both oxygen metabolites inhibit BP hydroxylase activity, i.e., the production of 3- and 9-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (phenols) in a concentration-dependent manner. The phenols account for approximately 75% of metabolite formation and are the major products of BP metabolism. Two components of the monooxygenase system responsible for BP metabolism, cytochrome P-450 and NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase, are also inhibited by the two oxygen metabolites in a similar manner. Superoxide anion is more effective than H2O2 in the inhibition of both BP hydroxylase and the monooxygenase components. Neither oxygen metabolite has any effect on the formation of minor metabolites of benzo[a]pyrene, i.e., BP-quinones and BP-dihydrodiols. These are the BP metabolites thought to produce toxic effects and which may lead to the formation of carcinogens and/or mutagens. The results of all these experiments suggest that exposure of lung microsomes to oxygen metabolites can lead to a slowing of overall BP metabolism and the increased accumulation of potentially toxic BP metabolites.