The effect of buffers and chelators on the reaction of luminol with Fenton's reagent near neutral pH.

The chemiluminescence of the system luminol +Fe2+ +H2O2 was measured in aqueous buffer at pH 7.2. In veronal (5,5-diethybarbiturate) buffer, the luminescence is strongly quenched by ethanol and mannitol, but only weakly by t-butanol, benzoate and superoxide dismutase (SOD); complexing Fe2+ with 1,20-phenanthroline or 2,2'-dipyridyl causes a decrease of light production that can be partially obviated by the simultaneous addition of SOD. In phosphate buffer, the luminescence is higher than in veronal and it is efficiently quenched by all four OH. quenchers and by SOD. In Tris buffer, no light production is observed as long as the Fe2+ is not complexed. When Fe2+ is complexed by pyrophosphate or phytate, there is a strong chemiluminescence in all three buffers, which is quenched by all four OH. quenchers and by SOD. When Fe2+ is complexed by EDTA or DTPA, very little luminescence is observed. The luminol analogue phthalhydrazide, which was suggested by Merényi and Lind as a reliable OH. detector, can replace luminol only in phosphate buffer, and thus turns out to be very specific indeed for free OH..