Following combustion of fuel containing the additive methylcyclopentadienyl-manganese-tricarbonyl (MMT), manganese phosphate (MnPO(4)) and manganese sulfate (MnSO(4)) are emitted in the atmosphere. Manganese chloride (MnCl(2)), another Mn(2+) species, is widely used experimentally. Using rat striatal slices, we found that MnPO(4) decreased tissue and media dopamine (DA) and media Dopac (a DA metabolite) levels substantially more than either MnCl(2) or MnSO(4); antioxidants were partially protective. Also, both MnCl(2) and MnPO(4) (more potently) oxidized DA and Dopac even in the absence of tissue in the media, suggesting a direct interaction between Mn and DA/Dopac. Because aminochrome is a major oxidation product of DA, we next determined whether MnPO(4) will be more potent in forming aminochrome than MnCl(2) or MnSO(4) which, indeed, was the case. Thus, a potential additional mechanism for the neurotoxic effects of environmentally-relevant forms of Mn, MnPO(4) in particular, is the generation of reactive DA intermediates.