Chromatography is a technique used to separate chemical components from a mixture of compounds. This technique has been employed in various industries serving their needs. Chromatography aid in separation, isolation, partitioning, checks purity, calculated affinity, retention factors, and so many other functions.
There are many different chromatography types, and each has a different functioning but follows a similar principle. The standard principle for all kinds of the process is the mobile phase and the stationary phase. Here, let us know in detail about thin layer chromatography.
Thin Layer Chromatography:
Thin-layer chromatography is a method employed to separate components from a mixture or a sample. It can separate only nonvolatile components. This process works based on the affinity rates of different components. Ones with higher affinity rates move slower, and lesser affinity rates move faster in the stationary phase, and that is how separation occurs in thin-layer chromatography.
Mobile phase: The mobile phase used in this process is a solvent or a mixture containing different components. It is filled in the chamber, and the stationary phase is run over it to initiate the separation process.
Stationary phase: A delicate layer of absorbing material is coated over the inert surface. The inert surface used here can be a plate, glass, plastic, or aluminum foil sheets. The absorbents commonly used are cellulose, silica gel, aluminum oxide.
Process Of Thin-Layer Chromatography
Once the stationary phase is ready, spots are marked in the glass, and a sample is placed over it at equal distances. The TLC chamber maintains a suitable environment for the process of blocking dust or other particles. The mobile phase is then filled into the chamber.
The stationary plate is then placed inside the chamber, and it is completely closed. After completion of the process, the plate is taken out and set to dry. Then using suitable stains, the separated spots are collected accordingly. The Rf value is calculated, including aspects like absorbent, temperature, mobility, and others.
Application Of Thin Layer Chromatography:
TLC has been employed in various sectors, and it makes complex functions easier and effortless. Compared to other chromatography techniques, TLC consumes time and, at the same time, gives qualitative results. It has become one of the significant analytical tools in many industries, especially in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
PURITY: TLC helps us find the purity of the components. It is processed by comparing the sample and the authentic sample used in the process. If any impurities are found, they will be reflected as spots in the stationary plate, which is straightforward to detect.
MEDICINAL INDUSTRY: TLC is employed in various industries. It is used in pharmaceuticals to test the quality and purity of medicines like anticonvulsant tranquilizers, anesthetics, sedatives, hypnotics, analgesics, and steroids.
IDENTIFICATION: Thin-layer chromatography aids in the isolation, identification, and purification of components. It can process natural volatile oils or essential oil, waxes, alkaloids, steroids, and so many others. It can identify a component from a complex mixture.
EXAMINATION OR REACTIONS: TLC can detect whether the reaction is complete or not. It can analyze other purification or separation procedures like distillation, molecular distillation, and many others.
COSMETICS: TLC is employed in cosmetics industries to test the quality of the product and detect any preservatives present in the products or stocks.
FOOD INDUSTRY: Chemistry and the food industry always go hand in hand. During the preparation and packaging of any food, the food’s standard is tested at every stage. Then TLC is employed to find out the presence of any preservatives, sweetening agents, or artificial colors in the food products.
BIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS: TLC is extensively employed to isolate and separate biochemical metabolites from the body fluids, blood, plasma, serum, urine, and so on.
CHEMISTRY: All these chromatography techniques are used in chemistry on all levels. These are used to separate multi-component chemical compounds. These are also used to identify similar compounds and also aids in the identification of cation and anion.
IDENTIFICATION OF DRUGS: TLC can identify drug residues present in any material. It can test and analyze the presence of drugs in body fluids, foods, beverages. It also can study the metabolic profile of drugs and the purity of drugs.
Advantages:
- In TLC, people mostly use readymade stationary plates or sheets without spending time coating the sheets with absorbent material. It consumes time and energy efficiently.
- After completion of a process, the plate can be preserved and verified, or visualized for future reference.
- It is more cost-effective and reliable than other chromatography methods.
- With it’s a more straightforward process, it can quickly analyze and identify any compound’s purity soon.
- The process is simple and timely.
- TLC can separate and isolate numerous components in a single process.
- It is employed to separate naturally occurring lips from plant and animal tissues.
