Chromatography of Plant Pigments

Chlorophyll is the most prevalent and well-known plant pigment related to photosynthesis. It is not, however, the only plant pigment necessary for photosynthesis to occur. Other pigments are involved in the process. These pigments are often overlooked as they tend to be masked by the abundance of the green pigment chlorophyll. In this activity, students will extract the various pigments from green plant material and separate the pigment using chromatography. Students will not only confirm the presence and learn the role of these “hidden” pigments but also learn about chromatography as a technique for separating molecules.