[Sensitivity and functional characteristics of modern chemoluminescence meters]

The paper describes the following quantum phenomenon discovered by B. N. Tarusov, A. I. Zhuravlev and A. I. Polivoda in 1961: spontaneous endogenous biochemiluminescence of animal tissues and cells in the spectral range of 320-1100 nm. It initiated studies of the role of electron-excited states and quanta in metabolism, i.e. it started the development of quantum biology of animal organisms. Intensity of this ultra-weak luminescence is determined and its classification is presented according to sensitivity towards fixation ability: a) ultra-weak 10-10(2) quanta/sec (spontaneous luminescence of blood plasma and serum, mitochondria suspension at 37 degrees C); b) ultra-weak 10(2)-10(3) quanta/sec (spontaneous luminescence of lipids and urea at 37 degrees C); weak 10(5)-10(6) quanta/sec (luminol-dependent luminescence of the blood immunocompetent cells, initiated by peroxides and luminescence catalysts in serum, plasma, lipids, suspension of organelles; d) 10(6) quanta/sec and higher (fixed by the eye or photoelement luminescence of glow worms, bacteria or ATP-triggered luciferin-luciferase reactions).