"One-" and '"Two-dimensional" Partition Chromatographic Separations of Organic Acids on an Inert Sheet Support

Abstract

Procedures have been described for "one-" and "two-dimensional" partition-chromatographic separations, on an inert sheet (paper) support, of mixtures of relatively non-volatile organic acids.

Ionization, and adsorption of the acids by the paper, have been suppressed by swamping both the stationary and mobile solvent phases with a volatile acid (acetic or formic). Formic acid is superior in that, at high concentration, it permits welldefined bands of the test acids to travel down the sheets and confers upon the bands highly characteristic R_F values.

R_F values for some acids (malic, citric, tartaric, succinic, fumaric, malonic, pyruvic, lactic, ketosuccinic (oxalacetic), α-ketoglutaric, monomethyl succinic, glutaric, and adipic) at 20°C., when Whatman No. 1 filter paper and various pairs of solvent phases are used. have been provided.

Some of the acids present in carrot tissue have been separated in "one-dimensional" work and identified by their R_F values.