Fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) are the end products of a non-oxidative pathway for ethanol metabolism in a variety of human, rabbit, rat and murine tissues. Our objective was to determine the significance of this pathway in the metabolism of ethanol by the rat lung. In vitro, 14C-labeled ethyl oleate formation was assayed in the lung and compared with the pancreas, liver, heart and brain. Lipids were extracted with acetone, and 14C-labeled ethyl oleate was isolated and quantified by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and scintillation spectrometry. FAEE synthetic activity in the lungs (in vitro) was found to be intermediate among the organs examined. In vivo, male rats received 10% ethanol in their drinking water with or without daily i.p. injections of 4-methylpyrazole (1 mmol/kg body wt) for 15 days. Another group of male rats received 4 g/kg body wt ethanol as a 50% (v/v) solution by gavage every 12 h for 2 days. FAEE from the three organs with the highest in vitro activity for FAEE synthesis (pancreas, liver and lung) were extracted with acetone, isolated from normal lipids by TLC and separated by gas chromatography. The lung had lower FAEE-forming activity than the pancreas or the liver in the 15-day studies. However, in the 2-day study, the lung had higher activity than the liver but lower activity than the pancreas. Ethyl oleate, ethyl stearate and ethyl palmitate were the predominant FAEE formed in the intact organism. Ethanol-induced FAEE may play a role in the development of alcohol-related injuries to the lung.