V3I9P42

A Review on Thin Layer Chromatography: Principle, Types, Procedure and Pharmaceutical Applications 

Abu Bakkar Siddique^1*, Kaja Reshma²

Abstract

Thin layer chromatography (TLC) is a simple, quick, inexpensive, and widely applicable planar chromatography technique for the separation, identification, and preliminary analysis of a range of compounds present in a mixture. Thin layer chromatography has a stationary phase that consists of a layer of an absorbent agent (such as silica gel or alumina) on a suitable substrate (the support medium) and a mobile phase that consists of an appropriate solvent or solvent mixture. Applying a sample to the plate and then developing it with a suitable solvent system leads to the different compounds moving at different rates, because of their differing adsorption and/or partition behaviors between the stationary and mobile phases. These compounds appear as individual spots and can be detected by visible observation, ultraviolet light, or suitable visualization reagents. The retention factor (Rf) is often used to compare the migration of the components under specified experimental conditions. Thin layer chromatography has important applications in pharmaceutical analysis, pharmacognosy, phytochemical screening, natural-product research, food analysis, and educational laboratories. This technique is appreciated for its simplicity, low cost, quick development, small sample requirement, and ability to analyze several samples at once.

Keywords:

Thin layer chromatography, TLC, stationary phase, mobile phase, adsorption, separation, Rf value, pharmaceutical analysis, qualitative analysis.