A kinetic study on the chemiluminescence resulting from the reaction between bis(2,4-dinitrophenyl) oxalate(DNPO) and hydrogen peroxide in the presence of fluorescent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a viscous phthalate medium has been conducted. The resultant data confirm that the reaction between DNPO and $H_2O_2$ is the rate determining step. Higher rate constants are obtained with DNPO than those with bis(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl) oxalate (TCPO).