A method for separation of small amounts of carotenoids has been desired and paper chromatography and thin layer chromatography seemed to be the best prospect among the available techniques.
Circular chromatography and thin layer chromatography have advantages of simplicity of apparatus, speed, reproductivity and particular suitability.
1. Carotenoids can be separated finely by thin layer chromatography with silica gel as adsorbent, but epoxides turn to be furanoid oxides while developing. So to the samples which contain epoxides this silica gel thin layer chromatography can not be applicable.
2. Carotenes can be separated and determined quantitatively by thin layer chromatography with magnesium oxide as adsorbent.
3. Xanthophylls can not be separated by the circular chromatography of Kieselguhr paper, but it was difficult to separate zeaxanthin from lutein and after extracting zeaxanthin and lutein band, zeaxanthin was separated from lutein by the circular chromatography of magnesium oxide paper.
Carotenes can be separated easily by the circular chromatography of magnesium oxide paper.
4. The incorporation of 2-C14-mevalonic acid into carotenoids in green peaches and apricats was noticed by circular chromatography and developing.