Hydroperoxide-induced chemiluminescence of the perfused lung.

Light-emission of the perfused lung is induced by t-butyl hydroperoxide, giving chemiluminescence yields that oscillate between 800 and 1500 counts/s depending on the site and position of the lung. The response of the perfused lung to infusion with different hydroperoxides gives a pattern similar to that observed with the liver microsomal fraction; ethyl hydroperoxide shows a much higher chemiluminescence yield than the tertiary (t-butyl and cumene)hydroperoxides. Alveolar oedema affected the light-emission of the perfused lung depending on the time at which oedema developed, decreasing light emission on infusion of hydroperoxide in the oedematous lung and increasing it when oedema appeared after the maximal chemiluminescence yield was already achieved. Paraquat, administered in vivo, augmented light-emission by approximately 2-fold. The effect of paraquat was a time-dependent process. Lung chemiluminescence, compared with liver chemiluminescence, needed higher hydroperoxide concentration to induce light-emission.