We analyzed lung lavage supernatant for amylase, lactate dehydrogenase (LD), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), beta-glucuronidase (beta G), and albumin, and a differential count was made of the cellular component of lung lavage in 18 normal controls and 36 long-term asbestos workers of the mines and mills of Québec. The men were concomitantly evaluated by the usual clinical, radiological, functional parameters and 67Ga lung scan. In 7 workers without asbestosis and normal 67Ga scan, lavage enzyme activities, albumin and cell counts were comparable to those of controls. Of 9 without sufficient criteria for asbestosis but increased 67Ga lung uptake, cell counts documented significant increases in the mean number of macrophages (X 2), lymphocytes (X 2) and neutrophils (X 3). Supernatant analyses showed significant increases in amylase (X 4-5), LD (X 2.5), ALP (X 1.5) and beta G (X 2-4). These changes were comparable to those in the lavage of workers with well established asbestosis except that in the latter, the lymphocyte count was slightly lower but the neutrophil count higher (p less than 0.05). These data document that enzyme activities of lung lavage can differentiate asbestos workers with early or late asbestosis from controls and asbestos workers without disease.