The formation of hydroxyl radical (OH.) during the reaction of copper(ii) ion with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is determined by ESR spectroscopy using water-soluble spin-traps, 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO, 1), alpha-(4-pyridyl-1-oxide)-N-tert-butylnitrone (POBN, 2) and sodium 3,5-dibromo-4-nitrosobenzenesulphonate (DBNBS, 3).