What Light Does Xanthophyll Reflect

Xanthophylls are yellow-brown pigments that absorb blue light. One in particular, zeaxanthin, has long been considered as a potential candidate for the chromophore of an additional blue light photoreceptor.

What color of light does Xanthophyll reflect?

Xanthophylls absorb the most at 435 nm (blue). Carotenoids, such as beta carotene, absorb light in the blue spectrum. They do not absorb longer wavelengths well, and they provide us with the bright yellows and oranges in the fall color palette. Carotene is responsible for the orange hues the eye detects.

Does Xanthophyll fluoresce?

It appeared that the addition of xanthophylls increased the level of the chlorophyll a fluorescence emission despite the screening effect of additional pigments in the system.