An orrery of intentionality

A chemiluminescence method based on isoluminol was used to quantitatively measure lipid hydroperoxides formed during radicalic peroxidative breakdown reactions caused by excited protoporphyrin IX. An HPLC system was developed to measure both hydroperoxide and ascorbic acid content in illuminated etiolated mung bean leaves. During treatment with the peroxidizing herbicide oxyfluorfen, lipid hydroperoxide(s) increased while ascorbic acid decreased, indicating a role of ascorbic acid as a quencher of peroxidation.