Ammonia excretion was studied in rat ileal segments during perfusion of the animal through the saphenous vein. In the first 10 min during and after intravenous infusion of L-glutamine (116 mg/kg to double arterial glutamine concentration) average net change in lumenal ammonia was 13 +/- 8 (S.E.) nmole NH3/min/g ileum; average net change in ileal venous ammonia was 28 +/- 9 nmole NH3/min/g ileum; and average net change in total ammonia (lumen + ileal vein) was 41 +/- 13 compared to -5 +/- 10 nmole/min/g ileum for animals infused with saline P less than 0.025. These data suggest that ileal metabolism of arterial glutamine liberates ammonia to both ileal venous blood and intestinal lumen. When a cation-exchange resin which binds ammonia was infused intralumenally, average net change in lumenal ammonia in the first 10 min during and after intravenous infusion of 116 mg/kg L-glutamine was 415 +/- 156 nmole NH3/min/g ileum (p less than 0.01 compared to value during perfusion of Earle's solution alone). During the first 10 min during and after glutamine infusion net change in ileal venous plasma ammonia was -8 +/- 14 when resin was being perfused through the lumen compared to +28 +/- 9 nmole/min/g ileum during perfusion of Earle's solution alone without resin P less than 0.05. Thus resin in the small intestine can trap very large amounts of ammonia.