Partition Chromatography on Paper, Its Scope and Application

WITHIN the last twenty years, chromatography has become increasingly important as an analytical tool. The purpose of this article is to review the uses of partition chromatography on paper, which, since its inception four years ago1, has had a wide application and which promises to become as well established as the older forms of chromatography. It should be emphasized, however, that, as mixtures, especially from biological sources, may be very complex, preliminary separations2-5 may often be necessary before paper chromatography can be used to the best possible advantage. For recent developments in all types of chromatography, the reader is referred to a number of articles indicated in footnotes 6–9.