An orange drink concentrate is suspected to contain traces of poisonous green dye and a harmless dye having the same boiling point. Which of the following t...

An orange drink concentrate is suspected to contain traces of poisonous green dye and a harmless dye having the same boiling point. Which of the following techniques is most suitable for isolating the dyes?

Answer Details

Paper chromatography is the most suitable technique for isolating the dyes in the orange drink concentrate. This is because paper chromatography can separate the components of a mixture based on their solubility and polarity, which is exactly what is needed to separate the two dyes. The technique involves placing a small amount of the mixture on a piece of paper and allowing the components to move up the paper as a solvent travels up the paper. The dyes will move at different rates depending on their solubility and polarity, allowing them to be separated and identified. Fractional distillation separates components based on their boiling points, which is not useful in this case since the dyes have the same boiling point. Coagulation involves the clumping of particles in a liquid, which is not applicable in this scenario. Recrystallization is used to purify solids and is not applicable for isolating dyes from a liquid mixture.