Spectrographic data concerning vitamin A and liver oils

Abstract

THE object of the present work is to place on record a number of spectroscopic observations on liver oils and concentrates. The data are in the first place concerned with the more precise description of tests for vitamin A, in parti- cular with the ultra-violet absorption and the blue colour test. In the second place, we have utilised spectrographic methods for a more penetrating investi- gation of the wider problem of the constituents of liver oils and concentrates. We hoped in this way to gain some insight into the sequence of changes culminating in the synthesis of fat-soluble vitamins or provitamins in Nature. Although it is too early to estimate to what extent this hope has been realised, a completely fresh aspect of the chemistry of vitamin-bearing oils emerges from the discovery of new and highly characteristic absorption spectra, which cannot be identified with the properties of the major constituents of liver oils.