The solution fluorescence properties of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) were compared with the solid-matrix luminescence properties of PhIP. The fluorescence properties were obtained in ethanol and several binary solutions of ethanol:water. An ethanol solution of PhIP gave a very strong fluorescence signal and the ethanol:water solutions only showed a small increase in the fluorescence signal. Acidic solutions of PhIP in ethanol:water (7:3) showed a major decrease in fluorescence intensity with at HCl of 10−4M and greater, but NaOH solutions of PhIP did not affect the fluorescence intensity to any great extent. Both acidic and basic solutions gave fluorescence emission spectra that were shifted to longer wavelengths. Solid-matrix room-temperature fluorescence (SMRTF) and solid-matrix room-temperature phosphorescence (SMRTP) were readily obtained on filter paper. SMRTP showed some distinct advantages over SMRTF and gave a limit of detection of 0.2 ng on filter paper. Several aspects of both solution luminescence and solid-matrix luminescence of PhIP are discussed.