Thin Layer Chromatography - Principle, Theory, Process, Applications, FAQs

What is Thin Layer Chromatography?

Chromatography is the process of breaking down compounds into objects or compounds into parts. It was built by Izmailov in 1938. It is usually made of aluminum foil, plastic sheet, or glass wrapped in a thin layer of adsorbent materials such as alumina, silica gel, and cellulose. It is a widely used analysis tool due to its simplicity, relatively low cost, high sensitivity, and speed of separation. TLC is widely used by researchers to identify substances in compound components, such as alkaloids, phospholipids, and amino acids. We will now discuss a small line of chromatography principles.

Thin Layer Chromatography principle

Like other chromatographic methods such as Partition chromatography or Paper chromatography, the thin line of chromatography principle is also based on the principle of separation. The classification depends on the relative coherence of the computers in relation to the standing phase and the moving phase. The combinations of the mobile section go above the vertical section.

During movement, compounds that have a low affinity with a standing phase move faster while others move slower. Therefore, segmentation can be achieved. The standing phase can be adjusted by covering a thin layer of alumina or silica with metal, plastic, or glass. Once the separation process has been done, the individual components are displayed as spots at the moving level of the plate. Their nature or character is identified using appropriate detection methods.

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Parts Required for TLC

TLC Plates:

The plates used are chemical-free and stable, with a thin layer of vertical phase applied to its upper layer. The vertical section on the plates has a fine particle size and is the same size.

TLC room:

This room is used for the construction of the TLC plate. The room retains the normal space inside so that the proper development of the spots takes place. This chamber prevents the solution from further evaporation and keeps the process dust-free.

Mobile Category:

This category contains a mixture of solvent or solvent. The mobile section must be free of particles and must be free from the proper construction of TLC spots. The solvents used should have an incoming chemert and a sample, a standing phase.

Filter paper:

This is moistened in the mobile section so that it can be placed inside the room. This helps to promote the same ascent of the mobile line.

Thin Layer Chromatography Theory

The effectiveness of chromatography is based on the fact that different compounds will have different melting and extraction of adsorption into two phases that will be split in half. TLC is a solid liquid form in which both phases are solid (standing) and liquid (moving) phase. The strongest ones used in chromatography are silica gel and alumina. Both are polar. Silica is also acidic in nature and Alumina is available in neutral, basic, or acidic ways. TLC is a simple, fast, sensitive, and inexpensive analysis process.

Thin Layer Chromatography Process

A small mark is made at the bottom of the plate with the help of a pencil to apply the sample locations. Now, sample solutions are used in areas marked on the line at the same distance. The mobile section is poured into the TLC chamber up to a few inches in order to maintain a uniform humidity, after which a separate filter paper is placed in the moving section.

Now, place the given plate in the TLC chamber and use a lid to close it . It should be stored in such a way that the sample faces the mobile section and closes the room with a lid. The plate is then immersed, in such a way that the color samples are much higher than the level of the mobile development phase. Wait a while for the development of the spots. After the stains, remove the plates and allow them to dry. Sample areas can now easily be detected in a UV light or other means of the specified sample.

Applications of TLC

1.It is used for the purification process and for the purity of the samples provided.

2.It is used in the cosmetics industry.

3.It is used in the manufacture of medicines to differentiate many things.

4.It is used in the food industry, to distinguish and identify colors, cosmetics, and food preservatives.

5.To monitor column chromatography, a few types of machines are used in this method. Separation is done in a very short time as the parts are removed very quickly.

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Disadvantages of TLC

1. This method is a quality analysis and not a quantity analysis.

2. Results produced by TLC are not easy to reproduce.

3. TLC plates do not have a long standing section.

4. Acquisition limit is high and if we want a low acquisition limit, we cannot use TLC.

5. Since TLC acts as an open-source system, other factors including humidity and temperature can cause a problem with the end result of the chromatogram.

What does Rf value mean?

It is the measure of the distance traveled by an object in the distance traveled by the solvent. The higher the value of the Rf the lower the material size and vice versa.

Rf = Component Distance

distance traveled by Solvent

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NCERT Chemistry Notes:

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