Objective   To study the effect of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) inhalation on lipid peroxidation (LPO) in 9 organs (brain, lung, liver, heart, spleen, kidney, stomach, intestine and testis) of mice, and to probe into the mechanism of toxicological role on mammalian cells by SO₂ exposure.

  Methods   The levels of MDA of the organs were measured after the mice exposed to SO₂ at different concentrations each day for 6 hours an d for 7 days, using fluorescence spectrophotometer.

  Results   (1) LPO levels in all organs of mice increased with SO₂ inhalation concentrations in dose-dependent manner; (2) Under SO₂ inhalation at low concentration (22±2) mg/m³, LPO damage in different organs were different. There were differences among the different organs. However, these differences among the organs tested would be decreased with SO₂ concentrations; (3) There were sexual differences for levels of oxidation damage by SO₂ in various organs from male and female mice.

  Conclusion   (1) SO₂ could cause oxidation damage in multiple organs of mice, it was a systemic toxin; (2) Oxidation damage caused by SO₂-producing reactive oxygen species, might be one of the primary mechanisms of toxicological role of SO₂ on mammalian cells.