Aromatic amines are urinary bladder carcinogens in man and induce tumors at a number of sites in experimental animals including the liver, mammary gland, intestine, and bladder. In this review, the particular pathways involved in the metabolic activation of aromatic amines are considered as well as the specific DNA adducts formed in target and nontarget tissue. Particular emphasis is placed on the following compounds: 1-naphthylamine, 2-naphthylamine, 4-aminobiphenyl, 4-acetylaminobiphenyl, 4-acetylamino-4'-fluorobiphenyl, 3,2'-dimethyl-4-aminobiphenyl, 2-acetylaminofluorene, benzidine, N-methyl-4-aminoazobenzene, 4-aminoazobenzene, and 2-acetylaminophenanthrene.