An isolated, perfused, guinea pig lung model was used to investigate the molecular events which occur when a 14C-labeled TDI vapor reaches the airways. Exposure concentrations of 0.2 and 0.7 ppm were tested. Perfusate composition included: Krebs Ringer buffer only, as well as buffer containing either guinea pig serum albumin, human serum albumin, or diluted guinea pig plasma. Radioactivity was detected in the perfusate within minutes of exposure, and following a delay, increased linearly. The rate of uptake was dependent on TDI concentration and the composition of the perfusate. Biochemical characterization of the state of the 14C-labeled material in the perfusate was performed. The distribution between low and high molecular weight reaction products was determined by molecular sieve fractionation and varied as a function of perfusate composition but no variability was observed as a function of time during the 45 min of exposure. An increase in nucleophile concentration in the perfusate was associated with both a higher percentage of conjugated products (from 15% with buffer only to 45% with diluted guinea pig plasma) and an increase in the rate of TDX uptake (from 0.5 microns Eq/min with buffer alone to 0.1 micrograms Eq/min with diluted GPSA as perfusate at 0.7 ppm). GC-MS analysis of the samples for free TDA, before and after acid hydrolysis, showed that the low molecular weight product(s), which represented from 55-85% of the circulating radioactivity, was composed of hydrolyzable and non-hydrolyzable conjugates and metabolites with approximately 4% of the label associated with free TDA. Although the distribution between high and low molecular weight species varies, this result is analogous to the findings from in vivo studies and suggests that the isolated, perfused lung (IVPL) system may be a useful tool in investigating the molecular mechanisms of isocyanate-induced disease and metabolic activity of the lung.