Male Wistar rats were given ethanediol (9.4 g/l), 2-ethoxyethylacetate (5.4 g/l), 2-butoxyethylacetate (2.9 g/l) and 1,2-propanediol (40 g/l) respectively in their drinking water for 2 weeks. Urine was collected during the last 24 h of the exposure. There was a marked increase in the oxalic acid excretion by the rats given ethanediol while rats given the alkoxyacetates excreted large amounts of ethoxyacetic and butoxyacetic acid, respectively. While not increased compared with controls, the excretion of oxalic acid by the latter group of rats was correlated to the excretion of the respective alkoxyacetic acids. The ammonia and glycosaminoglycan excretion was also smaller than that of controls. The urinary activity of succinate dehydrogenase was decreased in rats given the alkoxyacetates but not in animals exposed to ethanediol or propanediol. The data show that oxalic acid is actually a minor metabolite of the alkoxyacetates while the biochemical effects in kidney are associated more with the alkoxyacetic acid load. Alkoxyacetic acids seem to be inhibitors of renal succinate dehydrogenase, which may account for the decreased ammonia and glycosaminoglycan excretion.