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Anthocyanins Change Color in Different PH Levels

Anthocyanins change color depending on the pH level of their environment because their molecular structure shifts as protons attach to and detach from phenolic groups on the molecule. At low pH around 3, anthocyanins absorb blue-green light and appear red, while at higher pH protons detach causing absorption of yellow-orange light and a blue-purple appearance. Changing the pH causes protons to attach and detach, altering light absorption and shifting the color between red/pink and blue/purple.

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Đoàn Ngọc Linh
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56 views

Anthocyanins Change Color in Different PH Levels

Anthocyanins change color depending on the pH level of their environment because their molecular structure shifts as protons attach to and detach from phenolic groups on the molecule. At low pH around 3, anthocyanins absorb blue-green light and appear red, while at higher pH protons detach causing absorption of yellow-orange light and a blue-purple appearance. Changing the pH causes protons to attach and detach, altering light absorption and shifting the color between red/pink and blue/purple.

Uploaded by

Đoàn Ngọc Linh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Anthocyanins change color in different pH levels 

because their molecular structure actually shifts as


the pH of the solution they are in changes from acidic to basic and vice versa.  This makes these
pigments unique compared to other natural colors.

At a low pH of around 3, the anthocyanin molecule is ‘protonated’. This means the phenolic -OH
groups (highlighted grey in the figure above) have hydrogens.  In this environment, the anthocyanin
is a positive ion, or cation.  It absorbs light in the blue-green spectrum (approx. 450-560nm) and
appears red to the human eye.   

As the pH of the environment increases, however, the anthocyanin molecules become


‘deprotonated’ –protons are removed from the phenol groups – and the light absorption of the
molecule shifts, now absorbing light in the yellow-orange spectrum (approx. 570-620nm) giving it a
blue-ish purple appearance to the human eye.  

Decrease the pH again, and the protons re-bond to the molecule therefore changing the light


absorbance once again and reverting the color back to the original red to pink. And that’s how
Anthocyanins change color…Pretty cool, right?

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