pH changes associated with the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase reaction with H2O2 have been studied. In the presence of ferricyanide or Tris-phenanthroline complex of CoIII as electron acceptors, reaction of H2O2 with the oxidized cytochrome oxidase is accompanied by a steady proton release with a rate constant of ca. 3 M-1.s-1 at pH 6.8. The acidification is completely inhibited by superoxide dismutase and its pre-steady-state kinetics correlates with that of the oxoferryl compound (F) accumulation. Apparently, the proton release is linked to superoxide generation by cytochrome oxidase under these conditions. In the presence of superoxide dismutase and without the electron acceptors, the H2O2-induced transitions of cytochrome oxidase from the oxidized to the peroxy (P) and from the peroxy to the oxoferryl state are not associated with any significant proton release or uptake. The results point to the following mechanism of O2- generation and protonation states of the cytochrome oxidase compounds P and F: [formula: see text]