For dissolving pure beta carotene how much chloroform should be taken
Answers
Carotenoids represent a diverse group of natural pigments found in plants, animals and humans and are involved in performing important biological functions. Their spectral characteristics are ruled by a number of factors including the length of the polyene chain, number of conjugated double bonds, energy transfer among various excited states and last but not least on the solvent they are dissolved in. By the means of absorption spectroscopy it is demonstrated that the main absorption maximum of non-polar beta-carotene and polar zeaxanthin is red-shifted with increase of the refractive index of the solvents (methanol, ethanol, hexane, cyclohexane, chloroform, DMSO and pyridine) in the same mariner for both pigments. beta-carotene is well dissolved in all investigated solvents. The solubility of zeaxanthin is not so uniform; it is highest in chloroform and least in hexane and cyclohexane due to formation of pigment crystals.