MadSci Network: Botany |
Chlorophyll c and fucoxanthin are not found in spinach. Fucoxanthin is a brown pigment found in brown algae and diatoms. Chlorophyll c is only found in the Chromista and dinoflagellates. Lutein is a carotenoid, specifically a xanthophyll. It is present in spinach and is yellow to orange-red. The USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference says there are 12,198 mcg of lutein + zeaxanthin per 100 grams of raw spinach. Sometimes there are additional bands in paper chromatography, such as an olive-green band of pheophytin (see last reference). This is a standard lab exercise so try a google.com search for: paper chromatography spinach. References Photosynthetic Pigments Lutein USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Re: How do you identify pigments as they show up on paper chromatography?
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