[ Submit a Question, Answer or Critique]
From: Fielding Randolph
Date: 21 Jan 2004
Time: 16:48:19 -0500
Remote Name: 199.72.70.98
When ninhydrin is added to amino acids (AA), the solution changes color based on the AAs present in the solution. Most AAs turn a distinct shade of blue. Proline however turns yellow. The amino-acid analyzer used in this experiment utilized these different shades to determine the presence of specific AAs. Without the color, the instrument would not have been able to determine the AAs present. http://www.chemistry.ccsu.edu/glagovich/teaching/472/qualanal/tests/