Determination of hydrogen peroxide by photoinduced fluorogenic reactions

4-Hydroxyproline, 8-hydroxyquinoline, 4-hydroxyquinoline-2-carboxylic acid and 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (HPA) react with H₂O₂ when irradiated with UV light to yield fluorescent products. Sub-micromolar detection limits of H₂O₂ are possible with HPA. The fluorescent product is the same as that formed in the peroxidase enzyme-mediated H₂O₂ oxidation of HPA. Several compounds that participate in the photomediated reaction do not react in the enzyme-mediated system. A mechanism for the photomediated reaction involving an aryloxy radical derived from the substrate is suggested. Although the limits of detection for H₂O₂ do not equal the best achievable with the enzyme-mediated systems, the simplicity of a single-step reaction and an ability to “photodevelop” the product offer a range of novel analytical possibilities.