Oscillating chemiluminescence systems: state of the art.

Oscillating chemiluminescence (CL) was reported for the first time about 30 years ago. Since then several systems based on addition of a chemiluminescent reagent to a known oscillator system or based on the light emitting features of one component of the oscillating system, have been described. This information, scattered in the scientific literature, is compiled in the present paper. Several oscillating CL systems, including those based on Belousov-Zhabotinskii and Orban oscillators, or horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed reactions, among others, are critically presented. The application of this type of oscillatory systems is also discussed, in analytical chemistry and for educational purposes.