A novel fluorescence method for the determination of the critical micelle concentration (cmc) is reported. The cmc values of nonionic and anionic surfactants were evaluated utilizing a photosensitive monoazacryptand-Ba2+ complex, whose fluorescence intensity is sensitively changed by environmental conditions based on the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) mechanism as a fluorescent probe (PET method). Based on a comparison of the cmc values obtained by the PET method versus those obtained by conventional fluorescence-based methods as well as the values reported in the literature, one can conclude that the PET method is useful for the cmc determination. In particular, the PET method was more effective for the cmc determination of nonionic surfactants with very low cmc values (< 10(-5) M) than any other fluorescence-based method. In the cases of anionic surfactants, the PET method revealed the formation of the premicellar aggregates comprised of surfactant molecules and fluorescent probes below the cmc. Moreover, the hydrophobicity around the monoazacryptand-Ba2+ complex incorporated into various nonionic surfactant micelles was evaluated by this PET method.