This study investigates the genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of oil fumes, formed when peanut oil is heated, on human lung carcinoma pulmonary type II-like epithelium cells. The major mutagenic compound (trans-trans-2,4-decadienal, t-t-2,4-DDE) contained in oil fumes and its effect on the induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is also discussed. The results indicate that the methanolic extract of oil fumes can apparently lead to cytotoxicity and oxidative DNA damage. Glutathione (GSH) content, and the activities of antioxidative enzymes such as GSH reductase, GSH peroxidase and GSH S-transferase were adversely reduced by the methanolic extract of oil fumes. t-t-2,4-DDE could produce superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals in a phosphate buffer (pH 7.4), and form intracellular ROS, determined by dichlorofluorescein assay in A-549 cells. Moreover, t-t-2,4-DDE caused significant (P <0.05) oxidative damage of the 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine formation in A-549 cells at concentrations from 50 to 200 microM. These results demonstrated that the DNA damage in A-549 cells, induced by t-t-2,4-DDE, was related to the ROS formation. The occurrence of t-t-2,4-DDE, therefore, was of significance in the genotoxicity of oxidized oil and fumes.