Chemiluminescence detection of reactive oxygen species generation and potential environmental applications

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important oxidizing species that play arious roles within ecosystems, inducing oxidative stress and causing damage to organisms while also effectively scavenging pollutants from the natural environment. Therefore, it is highly important to monitor the concentration or relative level of ROS in the environment. To date, various ROS detection methods have been reported, among which the chemiluminescence (CL) method has attracted much attention because of its unique advantages such as high sensitivity, instantaneity and simplicity of operation. This review extensively summarizes the CL methods for ROS detection developed in the past five years, comparing different CL systems and evaluating their current advances and limitations. Furthermore, the potential environmental applications of ROS are also discussed. •Reactive oxygen species (ROS) as important oxidizing species have received a great deal of interest.•Chemiluminescence methods for the detection and quantification of various ROS were summarized.•Different CL methods were compared and summarized, and their status and limitations were evaluated in detail.•ROS generation and their environmental application were referred.•The challenges and prospects of CL methods for the detection of ROS and their environmental applications were also addressed.