CHEMILUMINESCENT ASSAY FOR BIOLOGICAL SUB STANCES USING LUCIGENIN

The chemiluminescent reaction of lucigenin with various biological sub stances has been studied. Chemiluminescence of lucigenin is produced b y the addition of either hydrogen peroxide or organic reducing compoun ds to lucigenin in an alkaline solution. On the basis of these reactio n, we have developed highly sensitive chemiluminescent methods for the detection of enzyme immunoassay, especially using alkaline phosphatas e as a label enzyme, and also for HPLC of corticosteroids or p-nitroph enacyl esters of carboxylic acids. The detection limits of enzymes wer e 10(-19)-10(-20) mol per assay, corticosteroids and p-nitrophenacyl e sters were 500 fmol per injection.