Paper Chromatography Lab

Plant Pigment Chromatography VII. Analysis (Questions) 1. What factors are involved in the separation of pigments? Factors that are involved in the separation of pigments can include pigment solubility, the attraction between the pigments and paper and the size of each pigment particle. Because of these factors the results were as they were. Beta-carotene traveled the furthest because it forms no hydrogen bonds to the chromatography paper and is slightly soluble in the solvent. Contrastingly, the chlorophylls are more tightly bounded to the chromatography paper and as a result travelled the least distance. 2. Would you expect the Rf value to be different with a different solvent? I would expect Rf value to be different with a different
Paper chromatography was the one utilized in this experiment and requires a strip of paper that relies on capillary action to pull a solvent along the strip separating various pigments. Using paper chromatography can help us learn more about various plants and the pigments within them. Liquid chromatography on the other hand is used to analyze organic compounds and metal ions in solutions. The application of this can be in determining if there is pollution and contaminants in water samples from rivers or lakes. Gas chromatography uses helium to move gaseous materials through a column which can absorb various things. It is often used in forensics to analyze blood and fibers found on a body or crimescene. It can also be used to detect bombs in airports. Finally thin-layer chromatography is used to check for the purity of organic compounds using glass or plastic plates with absorbent materials on them. This type of chromatography is often used detects residues of pesticides and insecticides in foods. It is also used in forensics to determine the composition of dyes on various