Mechanisms of inhibition of chemiluminescence in the oxidation of luminol by sodium hypochlorite.

Two different mechanisms of inhibition of chemiluminescence in the oxidation of luminol by sodium hypochlorite were found. Most substances investigated in these experiments acted by scavenging NaOCl. This mechanism was independent of the concentration of hydrogen peroxide and the incubation time between luminol and inhibitors. The most potent inhibitors were substances containing SH groups. Compounds with amino groups as a target for HOCl/OCl- to yield chloramines were much less effective inhibitors. Another mechanism of inhibition was found for catalase. It depended on the presence of hydrogen peroxide in the incubation medium and the incubation time between luminol and catalase. The enzyme inhibited the luminescence by removing H2O2 at molar concentrations much smaller than those found for all other inhibitors. Our results confirm the present models of the mechanism of generation of luminescence in luminal oxidation.