Peroxynitrite-mediated oxidation of ferrous nitrosylated myoglobin (Mb(II)–NO) involves the transient ferric nitrosylated species (Mb(III)–NO), followed by NO dissociation and formation of ferric myoglobin (Mb(III)). In contrast, peroxynitrite-mediated oxidation of ferrous oxygenated myoglobin (Mb(II)–O 2 ) involves the transient ferrous deoxygenated and ferryl derivatives (Mb(II) and Mb(IV)O, respectively), followed by Mb(III) formation. Here, kinetics of peroxynitrite-mediated oxidation of ferrous carbonylated horse heart myoglobin (Mb(II)–CO) is reported. Values of the first-order rate constant for peroxynitrite-mediated oxidation of Mb(II)–CO (i.e., for Mb(III) formation) and of the first-order rate constant for CO dissociation from Mb(II)–CO (i.e., for Mb(II) formation) are h=(1.2±0.2)×10 −2 s −1 and k off(CO) =(1.4±0.2)×10 −2 s −1 , respectively, at pH 7.2 and 20.0°C. The coincidence of values of h and k off(CO) indicates that CO dissociation represents the rate limiting step of peroxynitrite-mediated oxidation of Mb(II)–CO.