title: The determination and quantification of photosynthetic pigments by reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography, thin-layer chromatography, and spectrophotometry.
abstract: Chorophylls and carotenoids are functionally important pigment molecules in photosynthetic organisms. Methods for the determination of chlorophylls a and b, beta-carotene, neoxanthin, and the pigments that are involved in photoprotective cycles such as the xanthophylls are discussed. These cycles involve the reversible de-epoxidation of violaxanthin into antheraxanthin and zeaxanthin, as well as the reversible de-epoxidation of lutein-5,6-epoxide into lutein. This chapter describes pigment extraction procedures from higher plants and green algae. Methods for the determination and quantification using high-performance liquid chromatograpy (HPLC) are described as well as methods for the separation and purification of pigments for use as standards using thin-layer chromatography (TLC). In addition, several spectrophotometric methods for the quantification of chlorophylls a and b are described.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
authors.forename: Tessa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pocock
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Król
authors.forename: Norman P A
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Huner
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000737:chemistry; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer / Q000379:methods*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012997:Solvents; D013053:Spectrophotometry / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D010860:Pigments, Biological; D012997:Solvents; D002734:Chlorophyll; D002338:Carotenoids