ELECTROCHEMICAL GENERATION OF SOLUTION LUMINESCENCE—III.: EFFECT OF OXYGEN ON QUANTUM YIELD AND KINETICS OF LUMINOL

Abstract -The growth and decay of light emission were examined for luminol as a funtion of oxygen concentration in aqueous alkaline solutions during and after the application of a controlled potential, square-wave electrochemical pulse. The results indicate that, in the rise portion of the light, the rate of electrochemical oxidation of luminol governs the light emission rate; while in the decay portion, the rate is first order and is independent of oxygen concentration. Quantum yields based on integration of the total light emitted also appear to be independent of oxygen above a threshold value. These results are consistent with evidence that the emitting state is an excited singlet.