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5792063 
Journal Article 
SPECTRAL CHARACTERISTICS AND SOLUBILITY OF beta-CAROTENE AND ZEAXANTHIN IN DIFFERENT SOLVENTS 
Popova, AV 
2017 
Yes 
Comptes Rendus de l'Académie Bulgare des Sciences
ISSN: 1310–1331
EISSN: 2367–5535 
PUBL HOUSE BULGARIAN ACAD SCI 
SOFIA 
70 
1 
55-62 
WOS:000395353900007 
Carotenoids represent a diverse group of natural pigments found in plants, animals and humans and are involved in performing important biological functions. Their spectral characteristics are ruled by a number of factors including the length of the polyene chain, number of conjugated double bonds, energy transfer among various excited states and last but not least on the solvent they are dissolved in. By the means of absorption spectroscopy it is demonstrated that the main absorption maximum of non-polar beta-carotene and polar zeaxanthin is red-shifted with increase of the refractive index of the solvents (methanol, ethanol, hexane, cyclohexane, chloroform, DMSO and pyridine) in the same mariner for both pigments. beta-carotene is well dissolved in all investigated solvents. The solubility of zeaxanthin is not so uniform; it is highest in chloroform and least in hexane and cyclohexane due to formation of pigment crystals. 
carotenoids; beta-carotene; zeaxanthin; solvent; refractive index