Ask A Scientist© Botany Archive

name         Brittnee
status       student
age          12

Question -   How can you take the chlorophyll out of leaves?


This is a library topic.  The chemicals needed can be harmful to students
not trained in chemistry and its techniques.

Steve Sample

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If you have a teacher who can help you, a solvent of 90% ether and 10%
acetone makes it easy to extract the chlorophyll from leaves. Just collect
some leaves and use a coin or other smooth edged to rub the pigment off onto
some filter paper. You must rub a very dark line of pigment on the paper.
Put the tip of the paper in the solvent and it will cause the pigments in the
leaf to separate. If you can't use ether/acetone, you can use alcohol
(isopropanol).

van hoeck
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