Integrating Biology into the General Chemistry Laboratory: Fluorometric Analysis of Chlorophyll a.

A laboratory experiment that introduces fluorometry of chlorophyll a at the general chemistry level is described. The use of thin-layer chromatography to isolate chlorophyll a from spirulina and leaf matter enables quantification of small amounts of chlorophyll a via fluorometry. Student results were reasonably comparable to those found in the literature. This experiment uses relatively low volumes of organic solvents and an inexpensive fluorescence spectrometer (such as a Vernier SpectroVis Plus). The method could also be adapted for inquiry-based laboratories comparing chlorophyll a levels in plants, algae, and photosynthetic bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]