Acrylonitrile caused thiobarbituric acid-positive reactants time- and concentration-dependently in isolated hepatocytes. This effect was markedly enhanced by gassing of the medium with 95% oxygen-5% CO2 gas mixture. Glycidonitrile, an acrylonitrile metabolite, proved more potent in this respect than the parent acrylonitrile or its end metabolite, cyanide anion. The latter decreased greatly the viability of isolated liver cells but caused thiobarbituric acid-positive reactants only in the presence of diethylmaleate. Acrylonitrile caused also a decrease in the concentration of nonprotein sulfhydryl groups but the oxidation of glutathione (GSH) to GSSG (oxidized glutathione) was not the major mechanism. This might indicate the consumption of GSH in the glutathione S-transferase catalyzed reactions. In contrast to cyanide anion-induced effects acrylonitrile did not affect markedly the viability of hepatocytes.