Factors influencing on the stability of green dyes from plants

Abstract

Chlorophylls, green vegetable dyes, are characterized by a high sensitivity to environmental factors, bounded with modifications of molecule’s structure and chromatotropism connected with them. The content of chlorophyll was determined using spectrofotometric method in acetone extracts of fresh leaves of nettle (240 mg/dm 3 ), melissa (210 mg/dm 3 ) and mints (150 mg/dm 3 ). The proportions of occurence of chlorophyll a and b form were on the level 3:1 for the nettle and melissa as well as 1:1 for the mint. An influence of the light, the temperature, the kind of solvent and presence of fixative (0.1% CuSO 4 ) was being examined to the stability of chlorophyll extracts. Tested essencess kept full activity when kept in 4 o C without the light only.