Enhanced chemiluminescence of lucigenin with epinephrine in cationic surfactant micelles containing periodate

Abstract
Epinephrine (EP) species involved in the lucigenin chemiluminescence (CL) were identified in alkaline solution by comparing the time course of the CL response and the formation of EP oxidation products. EP quinone and adrenolutine (AL) were found to be responsible for the lucigenin‐CL reaction. The mechanism of the lucigenin‐CL enhancement was investigated using cationic micellar hexadecyltrimethylammonium hydroxide (CTAOH), periodate, and a mixture of micellar CTAOH and periodate. The CL enhancement in the presence of micellar CTAOH and periodate could be explained in terms of increases in the oxidation rate of EP to EP quinone and the intramolecular oxidation rate of adrenochrome to AL.