EXPORT CITATION

Chapter-05 Chromatography

BOOK TITLE: Practical Biochemistry for Medical Students

Author
1. Raghu B
ISBN
9788180611063
DOI
10.5005/jp/books/10641_5
Edition
1/e
Publishing Year
2003
Pages
2
Author Affiliations
1. Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology, Malaysia
Chapter keywords

Abstract

This chapter discusses chromatography, which is a versatile and powerful tool for the separation and quantitation of a wide variety of physiologically important substances. The primary goal of the chromatographic process is to separate and resolve a mixture of substances into individual components which are called solutes. Paper chromatography of amino acids is the most widely used procedure for separation and identification of amino acids, which uses filter paper as the supporting medium. A strip of filter paper is suspended vertically with the lower end dipping into a mixture of water and some organic solvent. Water, which is held strongly by the paper because of its affinity for the material, represents the stationary phase. Rf is the ratio of distance travelled by the solute to distance travelled by the solvent. In a given solvent system, each amino acid has a characteristic Rf value which can be used to identify it.

© 2019 Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) LTD.   |   All Rights Reserved