A study of the chemiluminescence of some acidic triphenylmethane dyes.

Chemiluminescence was observed when some acidic triphenylmethane dyes were oxidized with hydrogen peroxide in alkaline solution. Trace amounts of Co(II) catalysed this chemiluminescent reaction strongly, especially in the presence of the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. The chemiluminescence spectra of some compounds and the absorption spectra of some products of the chemiluminescent reactions were investigated, and some acidic triphenylmethane dyes were studied by the Hückel molecular orbital method. On the basis of these investigations, a possible mechanism for this chemiluminescent reaction, and an initial explanation for the relationship between the structure of the reagents and their chemiluminescent behaviour were proposed. The optimum conditions for use of some of the chemiluminescent reaction systems were selected by means of the modified simplex method, and a chemiluminescent analytical method for determination of ultratrace amounts of cobalt was established, with a detection limit of 5 pg/ml. It was used for analysis of natural water samples, and good results were obtained.