Oxidative microbicidal action

In accordance with the thesis that CL associated with microbicidal action originates from the relaxation of electronically excited oxidation products, it follows that the... 

CL yield is dependent upon the generation of oxidizing species, the susceptibility of microbial substrates to oxidation, and the quantum yield of such oxidation reactions. The yield of CL originating from microbicidal action is relatively low when compared to highly efficient bioluminescent reactions. 

Formation of the hydroxyl radical. Because the killing of certain microbes was dependent on the ability of PMNs to undergo the respiratory burst, the actual microbicidal species was sought. It had been shown that a potent oxidant was formed during the catalytic action of xanthine oxidase on xanthine an enzymic reaction which, like the PMN, produces both 07 and H2O2. This potent oxidant was proposed to be the hydroxyl radical formed by the reaction between O7 and H2O2 (reaction 4). Because such an oxidant seemed a likely candidate to mediate the microbicidal activity of PMNs, the formation of OH was assessed in PMNs. 

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