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Practical-8-3 - Ink Chromatography Lab

The document outlines a lab procedure for ink chromatography, which separates colored pigments in ink using a solvent on filter paper. The aim is to analyze the pigments from water-soluble marker pens, with applications in forensic science for matching inks to suspects. The procedure includes steps for preparing the chromatograms and discussing results, errors, and conclusions in a science notebook.

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Rasha Lynn
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42 views4 pages

Practical-8-3 - Ink Chromatography Lab

The document outlines a lab procedure for ink chromatography, which separates colored pigments in ink using a solvent on filter paper. The aim is to analyze the pigments from water-soluble marker pens, with applications in forensic science for matching inks to suspects. The procedure includes steps for preparing the chromatograms and discussing results, errors, and conclusions in a science notebook.

Uploaded by

Rasha Lynn
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Practical 8.

3 - Ink Chromatography Lab

Background
Chromatography is a method for analyzing mixtures by separating them into the
chemicals from which they are made. It can be used to separate mixtures like ink, blood,
gasoline, and lipstick. In ink chromatography, you are separating the coloured pigments that
make up the colour of the pen. Even though a pen will only write in one colour, the ink is
actually made from a mixture of
different coloured pigments.

To perform ink chromatography, you put


a small dot of ink to be separated at
one end of a strip of paper. This end of
the paper strip is then placed in a
solvent. The solvent moves up the
paper strip; and, as it travels upward it
dissolves the mixture of chemicals and
pulls them up the paper. The chemicals
that dissolve best in the solvent will
move up the paper strip further than chemicals that do not dissolve as well. What is
produced from this method is a chromatogram.

Forensic scientists are able to use ink chromatography to solve crimes by matching
documents or stains found at a crime scene to the marker or pen that belongs to a suspect.
Forensic scientists analyze the unknown ink and compare it to writing utensils collected from
possible suspects.

Aim
To separate the pigments from water-soluble marker pen ink using chromatography.

Materials
● water ● Pegs or paperclips
● large beaker 500ml ● ruler
● long strips of filter paper ● water-soluble black marker
● ice block sticks pens (5 different brands)

1
Procedure
1. Use a pencil to draw a line across the filter paper strip 1.5 cm from the bottom. Label
A, B, C, D and E at the top with pencil
2. Add enough water to the beaker so that the pencil lines will sit above the water line.
3. Using the water-soluble black marker pen, draw a small dot on the filter paper in the
middle of your pencil line.
4. Fold the paper strips over the ice block stick, as shown, and clip them on using the
paper clips.
5. Leave the strips for about 10 to 20 minutes after placing them into the water.
6. Remove the paper strips (called chromatograms) from the beaker when the water
has reached approximately 2 cm from the top of the paper and leave them to dry
somewhere safe.
Results
Stick your dried chromatograms into the table below (or take a photo and upload it to your
practical report file).

Discussion (Answer in your science notebook)


1. The chromatogram formed is unique for each type of pigment. Discuss what you
found out about the different pigments in the ink of the different black markers.
2. Identify possible sources of error when using this separation technique.
3. Discuss how you could minimise the impact of these sources of error in the future.
Conclusion (Answer in your science notebook)

2
Name of marker A B C D E Suspect’s note

Colour of marker

Sample chromatogram

Total number of pigments

3
4

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