Electronically excited species in the spontaneous chemiluminescence of urine and its uses in the detection of pathological conditions.

A relatively simple procedure for the measurement of urinary chemiluminescence is described and some of the variables affecting such measurements are examined. Normal urinary chemiluminescence is due to lipoperoxidation, presumably through the Haber-Weiss reaction, generating singlet oxygen as emitter. It was found that urinary chemiluminescence was higher in normal smokers than in normal non-smokers and very low in cancer patients. Oral distribution of ascorbic acid reduced urinary chemiluminescence of both normal smokers and non-smokers. Presumably, the spontaneous chemiluminescence in the urine could serve as a cancer marker.