The cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP2E1 catalyzes the oxidative metabolism of many solvents and other small organic molecules. A spectrophotometric method is described for determination of CYP2E1 activity by monitoring the formation of p-nitrocatechol from p-nitrophenol by cDNA-expressed CYP2E1 or isolated liver microsomes. The enzymatic product, p-nitrocatechol, is assayed at 535 nm after acidification of the reaction mixture with trichloroacetic acid followed by neutralization using 2 M NaOH. This method is applicable to enzymatic studies for determination of P450-catalyzed p-nitrophenol hydroxylation activity.