The ability of granulocytes to generate superoxide anions (O2-) and hypochlorite (OCl-) during phagocytosis was investigated using peripheral blood samples from adults and cord blood samples from neonates, using the chemiluminescence probe cypiridina luciferin analog (CLA) for O2- generation and luminol (L) for OCl- generation. OCl- generation by granulocytes was also monitored by taurine chloramine formation. The chemiluminescence probe based upon CLA was highly specific for and sensitive to O2- and could be adopted to determine O2- generation in terms of xanthine oxidase units. The CLA-dependent chemiluminescence by cord blood granulocytes was significantly higher than that by normal adult granulocytes. Taurine chloramine formation was significantly correlated with the L-dependent chemiluminescence (L-CL). Thus, the L-CL is considered to be mainly involved in OCl- generated by phagocytizing granulocytes. L-CLs by cord blood granulocytes and normal adult granulocytes were essentially the same during phagocytosis.