Identification of chlorophyll transformation products in zooplankton faecal pellets and marine sediment extracts by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry atmospheric pressure chemical ionization

Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization interface permits the routine study of mixtures of algal‐derived, chlorophyll transformation products isolated from biological and environmental samples. Interpretation of the mass spectra of standards of chlorophyll a and three of its commonly occurring transformation products has allowed the identification of components found in extracts from zooplankton faecal pellets and a marine surface sediment. This highly sensitive technique should prove valuable for pigment analysis in environmental studies.