7/26/2019 Paper Chromatography Procedure and Data Sheet

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Paper ChromatographyProcedure:

Colors to be tested: green, blue, red, yellow, orange, and brown M&M’s.

Place two small drops of distilled water on top of each candy and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

While waiting for the M&M’s  extract to concentrate, prepare thechromatographic chamber in a 400-mL beaker as shown in Figure 1.

Prepare the mobile phase by adding 10 drops of 1.0 % NaCl solution to

19 ml of distilled water in a 250-mL beaker. Add the mobile phase to the

400-mL beaker to a depth of about 0.5 cm. Place a strip of filter paper (7

x 9 cm) inside the beaker as shown in Figure 1. Cover the beaker with a

watch glass and wait until the developing solvent (mobile phase)

saturates the filter paper.

Cut another sheet of filter paper (14 x 9 cm). Draw a light pencil line

across the paper about 0.8 cm from the top and bottom of the sheet (see

Figure 2). Using a capillary tube, apply a small spot of the M&M’s extract

on the pencil line near the bottom of the paper (allow about 2.0 cm

distance between each spot). Let each spot dry and reapply the colorconcentrate (do this for 2 more times). Note: Avoid overloading! Put a

label below each spot indicating the color of the candy.

Roll the paper to form a cylinder and use a stapler to join the edges of the cylinder (Note: The two

edges should not touch each other). Place the rolled chromatographic paper into the chamber, making

sure that the spots are not below the solvent level and that the paper is not touching the sides of the

beaker. Cover the chamber with a watch glass. Make sure the beaker remains undisturbed. Monitor the

solvent level from time to time. When the developing solvent rises up to a height approx. 5 mm below the

pencil line at the top of the cylinder, remove the chromatogram from the chamber and open it flat on a

paper towel of tissue to dry. Mark the spots and note their colors.

Measure the distance travelled by the solvent (Figure 3). Measure the distances travelled by the

spots. Calculate the retention factor, Rf, of each of the spots using the formula,

, =

 

14 cm

0.8 cm

9 cm

2 cm

R O Y G B Br  0.8 cm

Waste disposal

Dispose of developing solvent directly down the sink with copious running water.

Dispose of used capillary tubes in Broken Glasswares container.

Figure 1. DevelopingChamber with Chromatogram

Figure 2. Chromatogram dimensionsFigure 3. Calculating the retention

factor value

7/26/2019 Paper Chromatography Procedure and Data Sheet

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Name:____________________________ Date Perfomed:_______________  Co-workers:________________________ Date Submitted:_______________

Paper Chromatography

NOTE: STAPLE YOUR CHROMATOGRAM IN THIS DATA SHEET!

Developing solvent (mobile phase): _______________  

Experimental Results:

M&M’s color   Composition

Red

Orange

Yellow

Green

Blue

Brown

Dye Calculated Rf  

Tartrazine (yellow #5)

Sunset yellow (yellow #6)

 Allura red (red #40)

Brilliant blue (blue #1)

Which other M&M’s color/s contain/s yellow #5 (tartrazine)? _________________________

Calculations: