ON THE QUANTA OF LIGHT PRODUCED AND THE MOLECULES OF OXYGEN UTILIZED DURING CYPRIDINA LUMINESCENCE

Abstract

A study of the oxygen consumed per lumen of luminescence during oxidation of Cypridina luciferin in presence of luciferase, gives 11.4 x 10–5 gm. oxygen per lumen or 88 molecules per quantum of λ = 0.48µ, the maximum in the Cypridina luminescence spectrum. For reasons given in the text, the actual value is probably somewhat less than this, perhaps of the order of 6.48 x 10–5 gm. per lumen or 50 molecules of oxygen and 100 molecules of luciferin per quantum. It is quite certain that more than 1 molecule per quantum must react. On the basis of a reaction of the type: luciferin + 1/2 O2 = oxyluciferin + H2O + 54 Cal., it is calculated that the total efficiency of the luminescent process, energy in luminescence/heat of reaction, is about 1 per cent; and that a luciferin solution containing 4 per cent of dried Cypridina material should rise in temperature about 0.001°C. during luminescence, and contain luciferin in approximately 0.00002 molecular concentration.