112 



SPECTROSCOPIC INVESTIGATIONS 



300 m/x. The corrected spectrum is given in Fig. 10. Unfortunately, 

 this spectrum is not very detailed, and it is not immediately obvious 

 to what class of compounds it has to be attributed. The only safe 

 conclusion to be drawn from it is that it does not belong to any of 

 the well-known, generally occurring cellular components such as caro- 



240 



-18 



-19 



•20 



320 



400 



mL 



Fig. 10. The photochemical inactivation spectrum of P/i. phosphoreum ( ) 



and the absorption spectrmn of l,4-dihydroxynaphthyl-2-hydroxymethyl- 

 ketone ( ). 



tenoids, flavine enzymes, hematin compounds, or to systems contain- 

 ing any of the colored vitamins. This supports van der Kerk's con- 

 clusion that it really represents the spectrum of a system, closely 

 connected to the bioluminescent reaction and not merely the spectrum 

 of a sensitizer. 



Another important piece of information lies in the recovery of lumi- 



