SEPARATION OF CHLOROPHYLLS <i>c</i>₁<i>c</i>₂, AND <i>c</i>₃ OF MARINE PHYTOPLANKTON BY REVERSED‐PHASE‐C18‐HIGH‐PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY¹

Abstract

ABSTRACT We separated chlorophylls c 1 c 2 , and c 3 of marine phytoplankton together with other pigments by a modification of the commonly applied reversed‐phase‐C18‐high‐performance liquid chromatography (RP‐C18‐HPLC) method. However, the chlorophyll c‐like pigment 2,4, Mg‐divinylpheoporphyrin as monomethyl ester, co‐eluted with chlorophyll c 1 . The method involves optimization of the mobile phase by using a very high ion strength solvent in combination with a high carbon loaded RP‐C18 column. Fingerprints of the various taxonomic groups of algae can thus be developed in a single run, including separation of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin.