Applications of Paper Chromatography in Pharmaceutical Analysis

Paper chromatography is one of the kinds of chromatography which is used for separating complex mixtures and identifying the analytes or components. The mixture gets separated since several analytes will attract more to the stationary phase (a piece of specialized paper) and several components can be attracted to the mobile phase hence they travel with it. Paper chromatography is typically utilized as an instructing to explain the basic functions of chromatography, however it is used in some pharmaceutical applications, let's check it out.

• Reaction monitoring.
• To ensure the control of the purity of pharmaceuticals.
• For the study of ripening and fermentation.
• For the analysis of the reaction mix in biochemical laboratories.
• To detect contaminated substances in beverages and foodstuffs.
• For the analysis of cosmetics.
• Separation and purification techniques for components.
• Forensic testing.
• Performance-enhancing drug testing.

 It is the one of the oldest method used in several applications of chemistry. Let’s check some common applications of paper chromatography.

• Paper chromatography is specifically used to separate mixtures of polar and non-polar molecules.
• As it has a broad range of mobile phase or solvent system, it is used to identify unknown organic and inorganic components from sample mixtures.
• Colored mixtures, such as pigments, are separated and identified using paper chromatography as a qualitative technique.
• Sugar, nucleic acids, lipids, amino acids and some biomolecules can be easily detected using paper chromatography by spraying with sufficient reagents on stationary phase (e.g. Ninhydrin solution).
• In the pharma field it is used for the determination of drugs, hormones etc.
• It can be used in forensics testing and drug abuse, by comparing an unknown chromatogram with a known chromatogram which may aid in the investigation of a crime scene.
• Paper chromatography can be used to analyze the fermentation and ripening process.

Commonly asked questions on paper chromatography are as follows.

What industries use paper chromatography?
Paper chromatography is commonly used in the analysis of various foods as well as in the pharmaceutical industries. It is mostly used in the analysis of colors that is used in the ice-creams, sweets, jams & jellies, beverages, and other foodstuffs.

What is the principle of paper chromatography?
The paper chromatography and thin-layer chromatography (TLC) works on the same principle that is partition chromatography in which the molecules are partitioned or distributed between liquid phases.

What factors affect paper chromatography?
Many factors affect paper chromatography such as the concentration of the sample, the length of the paper, type of solvent or mobile phase used, the thickness of paper, quality of paper used, and working temperature.

 

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