Carbon monoxide (CO) is an endogenous signaling molecule with a range of pharmacological functions. We have been interested in developing CO prodrugs and finding ways to generate CO from natural products. Along this line, we have developed a porphyrin-based catalyst formulation to catalyze the stoichiometric generation of CO from phenyl pyruvic acid (PPA). This research involves attuning PPA's CO release properties in various media and interpolating unknown concentrations of PPA, along with studying the stability of the catalyst. The catalytic formulation has potential applications as a CO donor. In addition to its application as a CO donor, this catalytic formulation could be used to determine the concentration of PPA with the potential to be used as a point-of-care method for monitoring phenylketonuria based on the level of PPA present in the urine through measurements of the quantity of CO produced.