The rates of formation and disappearance of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA):DNA adducts were analyzed in the epidermis of SENCAR mice over a 21-day time course. Mice were treated topically with 10 nmol of tritium-labeled DMBA per mouse at various times prior to sacrifice. Under these experimental conditions, total covalent binding of DMBA to epidermal DNA reached a peak at 24 h, and thereafter, DMBA:DNA adduct disappearance was biphasic. The early phase of DMBA:DNA adduct disappearance (Phase A) between 24 and 72 h had a half-life of 3.17 +/- 1.1 days, whereas the later phase (Phase B) had a half-life of 6.46 +/- 1.3 days. A comparison of the biphasic disappearance of total DMBA:DNA adducts with total benzo(a)pyrene:DNA adducts at comparable tumor-initiating doses (i.e., doses producing similar papilloma responses in SENCAR mice) revealed that the half-life for Phase A disappearance of benzo(a)pyrene:DNA adducts was approximately 3 times faster than for DMBA:DNA adducts (1.08 +/- 0.3 days versus 3.17 +/- 1.1 days), respectively. Phase B disappearance of DNA adducts was essentially identical for both hydrocarbons and was similar to the rate of loss of label in epidermal DNA due to cell turnover. The rates of formation and disappearance of the three major DNA adducts derived from DMBA were also examined. Peaks II (syn-diol-epoxide deoxyadenosine) and III (anti-diol-epoxide deoxyadenosine) disappeared more rapidly than Peak I (anti-diol-epoxide deoxyguanosine) beyond 24 h. The data support the conclusion that, for a particular hydrocarbon such as DMBA, deoxyadenosine adducts disappear from epidermal DNA faster than the corresponding deoxyguanosine adducts. In addition, the data suggest that, at the doses used, total DMBA:DNA adducts disappear initially more slowly from epidermal DNA than benzo(a)pyrene:DNA adducts.