Photobacterium phosphoreum was used for the study of bioluminescence response to toxic substances including phenol, As2O3, SoO2, and CrO3 in view of developing monitoring system. measurement of inhibition of bioluminescence in P. phosphoreum has been proposed as a sensitive and raped procedure to monitor toxic substances. The concentration of toxic substance causing 50% light reduction(EC50) in bioluminescence intensity was determined with free and immobilized P. phosphoreum, The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for bioluminescence emission were found to be 400ppm for As2O3, 800ppm for phenol, 60ppm for SeO2 and 60ppm for CrO3 , respectively. The linear correlation between Gamma value and the concentration of toxic substances was obtained and EC50 wa calculated from the linear correlation. The free cells were shown to be more sensitive to toxic substances than cells immobilized on Sr-alginate and Ca-alginate. However, the linear regression curves were derived from the Sr-alginate immobilized cells indicating the immobilization method in s useful tool for monitoring of toxic substances under the more stable condition of bioluminescence.