Analytical Application of Chemiluminescent Reactions Due to Atomic Oxygen

Abstract

Chemiluminescence, occurred in the reactions of various substances with atomic oxygen, was used to detect gaseous compounds sensitively. Atomic oxygen was produced by dissociating molecular oxygen in terms of a microwave discharge, and chemiluminescence was detected by photomultiplier. To measure 'intensity distribution of chemiluminescence, interference filters were used. Chemiluminescence from nitrogen compounds distributed from 400 nm to infrared, and that from sulfur compounds from 200 nm to 500 nm. And maximum intensity of chemilminescence of nitrogen or sulfur compound was at 610 nm or 300 nm, respectively. Therefore, selective detections of nitrogen and sulfur compounds could be possible (Fig.8). Detection limits of several substances were compared (Table 1). Chemiluminescent intensity changed linearly with concentration from several ppm to.1000 ppm. Detection limits of. NO_x and H₂S were 5 ppb and 20 ppb, respectively.