Although a stopped-flow pH jump is a suitable technique for kinetic studies in aqueous solution, l its use is limited to relatively slow processes (T> lo-'s), and it can not be applied to reactions in complex systems such as vesicles or membranes. In contrast to this technique, a laser-induced pH jump,* using an appropriate proton or hydroxide ion emitter, is a more convenient method for perturbing chemical and biochemical reactions by a proton or ...