>> > John Decker wrote:
>> >> My best guess is that furocoumarin (bergamottin) contained
>> >> (high as 0.2 to 0.5%) in Bergamot oil is the compound that is
>> >> responsible for its photochemical activity. In ethanol, a
>> >> triplet state quantum yield of about 0.37 is involved and
>> >> depends on the initial concentration and presence of
>> >> oxygen. The oxidation resulting from the reaction of hydrogen
>> >> peroxide and sodium hypochlorite may yield the necessary high
>> >> concentration of oxygen to initiate the brief luminous display.
>> >> Plant legumes may also yield brief but weak
>> >>  chemiluminescence when suitably oxidized.

>> [Fraooq]
>> > Thats interesting! Is the chemlumin. too weak to be
>> > detected by eyes? Do you know which
>> > plant legume (or the extract) show this behaviour?

>> [hanson]
>> I appears that a lot of bio systems do chemilum below
>> the limits of natural eye detection. One of the funnier ones
>> appeared in a very recent Discover Magazine  issue where
>> some (IIRC) Chinese researcher measured weak biolume
>> coming from peoples' forehead and the soles of their feet.

[Fraooq]
> A recent paper claims weak chemiluminescence from the
> famous KMnO4 + oxalic acid reaction, though never observed
> practically

>> [hanson to Decker]
>> If so, then that suggests that it is not Bergamot oil but a trace
>> compound found only in the natural version.
>> BTW: The strongest chemoluminescene that I ever saw came
>> out of a mix (IIRC) of Haematin, H2O2 and Formalin. For a
>> company festivity we produced ~ 30 gallons (into 1 lt bottles)
>> that glowed in an eerie green for over an hour and strong enough
>> to light up the dance hall... sufficiently... not to cover up whose
>> fingers went where... ahahaha....

[Farooq]
> Unfortunately, everything in a typical organic lab turns out to a
> carcinogen some 50 years later. Just to cite an extreme case a
> prestigous univ. saftey webpage places glasswool in the carcinogens
> list! So not to mention, formalin is also a carcinogen (as listed).
> Plus the interesting luminol sythesis involves hydrazine (a carcinogen)
> the product luminol is a suspect carcinogen! This turns the fun part of
> chemistry into fear of chemistry especially in poorly
> equipped/ventilated labs.

[Farooq]
> BTW, how was haematin isolated from blood?