The neutrophil enzyme myeloperoxidase uses H₂O₂ to oxidize chloride, bromide, iodide and thiocyanate to their respective hypohalous acids. Chloride is considered to be the physiological substrate. However, a detailed kinetic study of its substrate preference has not been undertaken. Our aim was to establish whether myeloperoxidase oxidizes thiocyanate in the presence of chloride at physiological concentrations of these substrates. We determined this by measuring the rate of H₂O₂ loss in reactions catalysed by the enzyme at various concentrations of each substrate. The relative specificity constants for chloride, bromide and thiocyanate were 1:60:730 respectively, indicating that thiocyanate is by far the most favoured substrate for myeloperoxidase. In the presence of 100 mM chloride, myeloperoxidase catalysed the production of hypothiocyanite at concentrations of thiocyanate as low as 25 μM. With 100 μM thiocyanate, about 50% of the H₂O₂ present was converted into hypothiocyanite, and the rate of hypohalous acid production equalled the sum of the individual rates obtained when each of these anions was present alone. The rate of H₂O₂ loss catalysed by myeloperoxidase in the presence of 100 mM chloride doubled when 100 μM thiocyanate was added, and was maximal with 1 mM thiocyanate. This indicates that at plasma concentrations of thiocyanate and chloride, myeloperoxidase is far from saturated. We conclude that thiocyanate is a major physiological substrate of myeloperoxidase, regardless of where the enzyme acts. As a consequence, more consideration should be given to the oxidation products of thiocyanate and to the role they play in host defence and inflammation.