Absorption and phosphorescence emission spectra of complexes of lutetium(III) and gadolinium(III) with tetraphenylporphyrin in ethanol solutions and in thin films of polytretbutylmethacrylate, polystyrene and methylcellulose are studied. The complexes were photoexcited at 420 nm and display room temperature phosphorescene with a maxima at 780 nm that is quenched by molecular oxygen at room temperature. This quenching effect was exploited to optically sense oxygen. The response time is 1.0 -1.2 s, and the detection limit is 0.05% of oxygen. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.