The effect of route of administration on the outcome of the micronucleus test was examined by administering benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) perorally (p.o.) and intraperitoneally (i.p.) to males of the MS/Ae and CD-1 mouse strains. This study consisted of 3 parts. First, an acute toxicity study lasting 3 days was done to estimate LD50s. The LD50 was larger than 1600 mg/kg for both routes in the 2 strains. Second, pilot micronucleus tests were carried out, on the basis of which an appropriate sampling time (48 h) and dose levels (62.5, 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg) were chosen for both routes and both strains. Third, full-scale micronucleus tests were done, which indicated that (1) B[a]P induced micronuclei dose-dependently by each administration route in each strain, (2) the i.p. route induced frequencies of micronuclei almost equal to or slightly higher than did the p.o. route, and (3) the MS/Ae strain was the higher responder.