Using the FL600 Fluorescence Microplate Reader for Chemiluminescence Detection

Introduction Molecules that release light do so as a result of being in a state of high energy, often referred to as an “excited state”, and then returning to a lower energy or ground state with a subsequent release of energy (Figure 1). The production of light from excited molecules, as a means to release excess energy, is unusual. In the case of fluorescence the energy necessary to achieve the excited state is provided by illumination with a specific wavelength of light. Chemiluminescence, on the other hand, does not require the input of exogenous light, but rather utilizes the energy contained within specific chemical reactions to provide the necessary energy. With very few exceptions, the efficient chemiluminescence of organic compounds is the result of oxidation (1), but specialized “high energy” oxygenated-compounds have also been developed that will lumninesce when fragmented (2).