A study of chemiluminescence characteristics of a novel peroxyoxalate system using berberine as the fluorophore

In the present work the chemiluminescence characteristics of a peroxyoxalate system using berberine as a novel fluorophore has been investigated. Berberine can accept energy via the formation of a dioxetane and emits intense yellow light. The characteristics of the chemiluminescence for this system under various concentrations of reagents including bis (trichlorophenyl)oxalate, sodium salicylate (as catalyst), hydrogen peroxide and the fluorophore were also studied. These parameters including the rise and fall rate constants for the chemiluminescence emission, theoretical and experimental maximum intensity, theoretical and experimental time to reach maximum intensity and total light yield emission were evaluated from intensity–time profiles using the pooled intermediate model by a non-linear least-squares curve fitting program, KINFIT. ► Introducing new types of fluorophores for chemiluminescence seem attractive and tempting. ► A novel peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence system using berberine as the fluorophore is described. ► The chemiluminescence parameters under varying concentration of reagents have been explored.