Chemiluminescent Quantitation of Organic Compounds in Water

A method of measuring the concentration of a selected organic compound (analyte) in a sample of water involves (1) producing hydrogen peroxide as a byproduct of enzyme-catalyzed oxidation of the analyte, (2) producing light in an electrocatalyzed reaction of the hydrogen peroxide with luminol, and (3) measuring the intensity of this light. The method could prove useful in a variety of applications, including water-purification systems, closed environmental life-support systems, bioreactors, and other biotechnological systems.