Pretend you need to analyze solutions that contain variable kinds and amounts of amino acids ( not whole proteins or peptides ). To do this analysis , you need a practical method that can separate and quantitatively detect all twenty fundamental – amino acids . Briefly discuss one procedure , other than paper chromatography / ninhydrin , that could be used to solve this analytical problem . It’s okay if your procedure requires more than one step ( ie a separation technique followed by an analytical step ).
Include in your answer :
a ) a description of the molecular basis for the separation chemistry
b ) a description of the technique that will be used for detection of the analytes and how /why detection would be quantitative
c ) the strategy that will be used to characterize which of the twenty amino acids were in a given mixture
d ) the limitations of the procedure especially regarding whether it would really work for all 20 amino acids and whether it would truly be quantitative . ( for example , if you think it might not separate every amino acid, explain specifically which ones might be left unseparated and why).
e ) the peer- reviewed reference for your chosen technique (bear in mind that an “open source” reference such as Wikipedia does not count as a peer-reviewed reference)