Abstract: Water soluble fluors useful in enhancing images obtained in autoradiography have the general formula:[F].sub.x [B].sub.y [S].sub.zF is a moiety which acts as a fluor, e.g., a dehydro derivative of a compound which is a fluor; preferred examples include 4-(2,5-diphenyloxazolyl), 1-napththylmethyl, 2-napththyl, and 4-[5-(2-phenyloxazolyl)]phenyl. S is a surfactant moiety which makes the molecule hydrophilic, e.g., dehydro derivatives of surfactants; preferred examples include polyethylene glycol derivatives, sulfonic acids or salts thereof, aryl sulfonates amines and quaternary ammonium compounds. B is a binding moiety which chemically binds the fluor moiety F with the surfactant S, and may be a chemical bond, or a disubstituted moiety such as an alkylene, e.g., methylene group. The variables x, y and z are integers which can generally vary from 1 to 10.

Abstract: Water soluble fluors useful in enhancing images obtained in autoradiography have the general formula:[F].sub.x [B].sub.y [S].sub.zF is a moiety which acts as a fluor, e.g., a dehydro derivative of a compound which is a fluor; preferred examples include 4-(2,5-diphenyloxazolyl), 1-naphthylmethyl, 2-naphthyl, and 4-[5-(2-phenyloxazolyl)]phenyl. S is a surfactant moiety which makes the molecule hydrophilic, e.g., dehydro derivatives of surfactants; preferred examples include polyethylene glycol derivatives, sulfonic acids or salts thereof, aryl sulfonates, amines and quaternary ammonium compounds. B is a binding moiety which chemically binds the fluor moiety F with the surfactant S, and may be a chemical bond, or a disubstituted moiety such as an alkylene, e.g., methylene group. The variables x, y and z are integers which can generally vary from 1 to 10.