chlorofyl

Chlorofyl, also known as chlorophyll in English, refers to a class of green pigment molecules essential for photosynthesis in plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. It is embedded in the thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts and is responsible for capturing light energy and initiating electron transport.

In higher plants and green algae, the two main forms are chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b. Other forms—chlorophyll c, d, and f—occur in various algae and cyanobacteria and extend the range of light absorption. All chlorophyll molecules share a porphyrin ring coordinated to a central magnesium ion, and they have a long hydrophobic phytol side chain that anchors them in the membrane.

During photosynthesis, chlorophyll absorbs photons, particularly in the blue and red parts of the spectrum, and uses the energy to drive the light-dependent reactions in photosystems II and I, generating ATP and NADPH, which power the fixation of CO2 in the Calvin cycle.

Chlorophyll is synthesized in plants through a biosynthetic pathway and is most abundant in green tissues. In autumn, chlorophyll degrades, revealing carotenoids and giving leaves their yellow, orange, or red colors.

Chlorophyll was first isolated in 1817 by the French chemists Nicolas Pelletier and Joseph Caventou. Today its derivatives are widespread in nature and are used as dyes and purity indicators, while chlorophyllin, a water-soluble form, is used in some products.