Paper Chromatography

have now gotten into Paper chromatography to monitor my MLF (malo latic fermentation). I thought that I would post the results of the wines that I have added MLF bacteria to and share my experiences with Paper Chromatography I my wines progress.


I bought my kit from PI Wine (www.piwine.com). It was the best deal I could find for an entire kit.


I have attached a picture of the 1st chromatogram I did. From left to right:


At the bottom of the page I have listed my samples. (1) I first marked a line 1 inch up from the bottom. Samples should not be applied below this line. I then columned it off in 1" columns. I am a neat freak. (2) You then take the capilaric tube, which a very small glass tube. I mean small. The id is mabe 1/64th of an inch. Dip it into your sample and fill it about 1/4 full. By placing the end of the tube on the paper you transfer the sample to the paper just above the 1" line. (3) you should duplicate #2 when the first set is dried. I did not do this, but I understand that it gives a clearer chromatogram. Allow this second sample to dry for 1 hour. (4) The roll the paper into a cylinder. Staple the top and bottom of the paper together to hold the cylinder shape, but do not overlap the paper. (5) Transfer the developer solution into the 1 gallon plastic jug. I used 125 mls which seemed to work well. You want about 1/2 inch in the bottom of the jug. BE CAREFUL. The smell of this stuff is awful. It contains formic acid so I would wear gloves. (6) place the cylinder of paper into the jug and leave for 4-5 hours or until the solvent reaches the top of the paper within 1/2 inch. (7) Remove the paper using the clips supplied with the kit. You MUST have an area that is not occupied by people or animals. This stuff smells awful. I did it in my garage with the door open. It takes most of the day to dry to where the smell is gone. The lower the humidity the better the development of the stains.


On the bottom of the picture left to right: Grape, latic acid standard, malic acid standard, muscadine, scuppernong, apple, blackberry, peach, and pear.


First notice the stains for the latic and malic and where they are positioned vertically on the paper. now look at the muscadine. The blue dot above the line is where the sample was positioned. The first yellow dot above it is tartaric acid. The above that you can see that the wine contains some malic and some latic. These wines had the MLF bacteria added about 1 1/2 weeks ago. Some of the tartaric can be removed by cold stabilization, if I want. My goal here is to change the malic to the much softer latic. My next post on this will be in about a month. We should see some changes in the wines.


Hal

Hal - thanks for reporting on this, it is an interesting topic. I have
assumed that it was pertinent to grape wine making predominantly. Are
you applying it to your other fruit wines as well? You didn't say
specifically whether you are doing MLF on all the wines you list, or just
the muscadine that you discuss. Whereas the grape wines you have show
a healthy blot of tartaric acid, the other fruit wines seem to have much
less, but blackberry, peach and pear have a lot of malic, which jibes with
the chart I copied from somewhere listing the main acid types for
different fruits. Given the amount they have, are you aiming to do MLF's
on them too?

Also, does the test help indicate when MLF is finished, or do you just
watch for fermentation action to stop? When you do post again be sure to
show before and after shots

Bill

Bill,


Yes I am doing MLF on all the wines listed on the chromatogram. As MLF nears completion the blot of Malic will lessen and lessen until it is gone. Reversely, the latic blot gets stronger and stronger.


I will show the progression after one month within this same post so you can track it with me.





Hal