Abstract
THE procedure1,2 which has been used for the separation of chlorophyll a has involved two awkward steps: (1) the transfer of the chlorophylls from the acetone extract of the plant to a hydrocarbon phase; (2) the adsorption of chlorophylls on talc-like materials prior to the sugar chromatography. The chlorophyll a band on the sugar column invariably has a xanthophyll on its leading edge due to the failure of step (1) to complete the xanthophyll separation and a fair amount of pheophytin introduced by step (2). The xanthophyll contaminant causes an enhanced apparent intensity value of the blue band of the chlorophyll a spectrum previously reported. Heretofore it has been very difficult to obtain crystalline chlorophyll using these procedures.
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ANDERSON, A., CALVIN, M. An Improved Method for the Separation and Purification of Chlorophyll a. Nature 194, 285–286 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1038/194285a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/194285a0
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