For the "ISOLATION OF CHLOROPHYLL AND CAROTENOID PIGMENTS FROM SPINACH" we have to do a purification scheme and from spinach (which contains pigments, water, sugars, waxes, cellulose, starch and salts,) after grinding with acetone, and then centrifuged, I was wondering what will be in the supernatant and precipitate.
I already know acetone, water, and pigments will be in the supernatant.
The solid pellet will contain the waxes, cellulose, and salt crystals.
The supernatant will contain the pigments, water, sugars,and starch.
THANKS SOO MUCH!! You are the best!
To understand what will be present in the supernatant and precipitate after grinding spinach with acetone and centrifuging, let's go through the purification scheme step by step:
1. Grinding with acetone: When the spinach is ground with acetone, the acetone acts as a solvent and helps to extract the pigments as well as other molecules present in the spinach.
During grinding with acetone, the pigments (chlorophyll and carotenoids) will dissolve in the acetone due to their solubility in this organic solvent. Along with the pigments, other organic compounds such as sugars, waxes, and some water-soluble compounds may also dissolve in the acetone.
2. Centrifugation: After grinding, the mixture is centrifuged. Centrifugation involves spinning the mixture at high speeds, causing the insoluble particles (precipitate) to settle at the bottom of the tube, while the liquid (supernatant) remains on top.
In the supernatant: As you correctly mentioned, the supernatant will contain acetone, water, and the pigments (chlorophyll and carotenoids). Additionally, it may also include some dissolved sugars, waxes, and other water-soluble compounds that were present in the spinach.
In the precipitate: The precipitate will consist of the insoluble components of the spinach, such as cellulose, starch, and salts. These substances are not soluble in acetone and will separate out and settle at the bottom during centrifugation.
It's important to note that the exact composition of the supernatant and precipitate can depend on factors like the efficiency of extraction, the purity of the starting material (spinach), and the specific purification techniques employed.