Electrochemiluminescence　(ECL)　has　been　accepted　by　the　analytical　chemist　as　a　powerful　tool　for　detection　of　many　inorganic　and　organic　compounds.　Ru(bpy)32+　has　been　the　most　popular　ECL　system,　and　many　investigations　have　been　focused　on　the　application　based　on　the　enhancement　or　inhibition　of　Ru(bpy)32+　ECL　system.　However,　not　much　attention　has　been　paid　to　the　theoretical　investigation　of　this　ECL　system,　especially　to　the　inhibiting　mechanism　for　the　Ru(bpy)32+　ECL　system.　In　the　present　study,　many　of　the　inorganic　and　organic　compounds　with　electrochemical　oxidation　activity　were　found　to　strongly　inhibit　Ru(bpy)32+　ECL.　To　explain　these　inihibited　ECL　phenomena,　a　new　＂electrochemical　oxidation　inhibiting＂　mechanism　has　been　proposed　via　the　establishment　of　a　corresponding　model.　The　effects　of　applied　potential,　uncompensated　resistance,　and　concentration　of　inhibitor　on　the　inhibited　ECL　derived　from　the　model　have　been　verified　by　experiments.　The　new　ECL　inhibition　mechanism　can　be　commonly　used　to　explain　many　kinds　of　inhibited　ECL　presently　observed,　and　it　is　envisioned　to　result　in　finding　of　more　inhibitors　of　this　type　and　establishment　of　new　sensitive　ECL　detection　methods　for　them.　©　2007　American　Chemical　Society.