The relationship between nitrate which is formed from inhaled nitrogen dioxide, a common air pollutant, and changes in fatty acid metabolism of phosphatidylserine in rat erythrocytes has been examined. When erythrocytes were incubated at 37 degrees C for 60 min with fatty acid, the incorporation rate of [1-14C]arachidonic acid and [9,10-3H]palmitic acid into phosphatidylserine was 15% (80 pmol/h per mumol lipid phosphorus) and 20% (12 pmol/h per mumol lipid phosphorus) of those into phosphatidylethanolamine, respectively. By the addition of 1.0 mM sodium nitrate or 0.5 microM ionophore A23187 to the incubation mixture, the rate of incorporation of both arachidonic acid and palmitic acid into phosphatidylethanolamine was stimulated 1.45-fold. On the other hand, the incorporation of palmitic acid into phosphatidylserine was little affected, while that of arachidonic acid was stimulated 1.35-fold. An increase in arachidonic acid of phosphatidylserine was also found by the addition of nitrate or ionophore A23187. This increase was dependent on the concentration of extracellular calcium and observed by the addition of other chaotropic anions in the order SCN- greater than ClO4- greater than NO3-. It seems likely, therefore, that nitrate causes changes in erythrocyte membranes to facilitate calcium uptake. Increasing the concentration of intracellular calcium may cause stimulation of acyl-CoA:lysophospholipid acyltransferase and/or endogenous phospholipase A2.