Hydroxyl radical (OH) production, mediated by UV light, from aqueous ferric perchlorate was investigated at low pH using a deoxyribose-thiobarbituric acid (-TBA) assay. The rate of production of OH was found to be dependent on the irradiation time. Addition of suitable substrates such as substituted benzenes can compete for the reaction of OH with deoxyribose, leading to a decreased yield of TBA chromogen formed from the deoxyribose-TBA assay. The second-order rate constants of the added substrates can be determined from such a simple competition kinetic method. The second-order rate constants for the reaction of OH with a number of substituted benzenes were determined using this method and the values were compared with the reported rate constants using pulse radiolysis technique. The values determined using the present method (1 to 8 x 10(9) dm3/mols) are in good agreement with those reported by use of the pulse radiolysis technique. It is proposed that the photoproduction of OH from aqueous ferric perchlorate coupled with deoxyribose-TBA assay is a simple and efficient method for determination of rate constants for the reaction of OH with a variety of substituted benzenes that are known to be organic water contaminants.