Chromatography

• 1. Chromatography paper is cut to fit the tank
• 2. The solvent should be placed in the chromatography tank and the lid attached allowing the solvent to fully saturate the tank
• 3. The chromatogram should be long enough to extend into the solvent but the solvent should remain below the base line
• 4. The base line should be drawn in pencil a few cm above the bottom of the paper
• 5. The solution containing the plant pigment should be spotted om the centre of the pencil time, repeat at least 5 times for a concentrated spot
• 6. The chromatogram is then suspended into the solvent and securely attached to the lid of the tank
• 7. the solvent is allowed to run up the chromatogram at least 3/4 of the way before it reaches the top
• 8. The solvent front is marked in pencil
• 9. The chromatogram is dried
• 10. Rf value of each spot is calculated
• Rf = distance travelled by solute

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  distance traveled by solvent