Which technique is most appropriate to separate a mixture of plant pigments based on differential migration in a solvent?

Which technique is most appropriate to separate a mixture of plant pigments based on differential migration in a solvent?

• A. Distillation
• B. Chromatography
• C. Filtration
• D. Evaporation

Answer: (B)

Chromatography separates plant pigments by how far each pigment moves with a solvent along a stationary phase. Different pigments have varying affinities for the stationary phase and the solvent due to polarity and solubility, so they migrate at different speeds and appear as separate bands. This differential migration is exactly what lets you resolve mixtures of pigments like chlorophylls and carotenoids. Distillation, filtration, and evaporation don’t separate components based on how they travel in a solvent through a stationary phase, so they aren’t suitable here.

Chromatography separates plant pigments by how far each pigment moves with a solvent along a stationary phase. Different pigments have varying affinities for the stationary phase and the solvent due to polarity and solubility, so they migrate at different speeds and appear as separate bands. This differential migration is exactly what lets you resolve mixtures of pigments like chlorophylls and carotenoids. Distillation, filtration, and evaporation don’t separate components based on how they travel in a solvent through a stationary phase, so they aren’t suitable here.