Singlet Oxygen Chemiluminescence at Gas-Liquid Interfaces: Theoretical Analysis with a One-Dimensional Model of Singlet Oxygen Quenching and Diffusion

Singlet oxygen chemiluminescence was measured from the reaction of ozone with several biological molecules using a two-phase system in which ozone gas flowed over aqueous solutions of various biological molecules. Most of the chemiluminescence came from singlet oxygen which had diffused back into the gas phase. The intensity of the singlet oxygen chemiluminescence was adequately described by a one-dimensional mathematical model of singlet oxygen quenching and diffusion for the reaction of ozone with ascorbic acid, reduced glutathione, oxidized glutathione, methionine and NADH. Potentially, the theoretical model described in this paper could be used to interpret the singlet oxygen emission from complex biological systems with gas-liquid interfaces, such as ozone-exposed lungs or ozone-exposed plant leaves.