Chemical analysis with electrogenerated chemiluminescence

Electrogenerated chemiluminescence is the production of excited states through reactions between electrochemically generated intermediates. It can be quite sensitive and useful in chemical analysis. Chapter 1 describes the fundamentals of organic ECL and with examples from the most common organic ECL systems. In Chapter 2, these fundamentals are utilized to allow sensitive and selective ECL detection of some polyaromatic hydrocarbons following liquid chromatographic separation. A derivatization scheme is presented which allows ECL detection of primary amines. Chapter 3 investigates the kinetics of an oxidative-reductive system. This system allows ECL detection in aqueous solutions, but is found to exhibit a slow kinetics. In Chapter 4, detection is demonstrated in a microfluidic device. A method is demonstrated which allows electrochemical measurements in the presence of an electric field without need for a decoupler. Fast scan cyclic voltammetry and ECL detection are demonstrated following electrophoretic separations. In Chapter 5, an approach is presented which facilitates the ECL simulations. Software designed for simulations of electrochemical responses can be used to simulate ECL emission arising from complex mechanisms.