What is Chromatography? Chromatography is a technique for separating mixtures into their components in order to analyze, identify, purify, and/or quantify the mixture or components. Analyze Identify Purify Quantify Separate Mixture Components

Chromatography Separates the components of inks and dyes, such as those found in pens, markers, clothing, and even candy shells Separate the colored pigments in plants Determine the chemical composition of many substances.

Types of Chromatography Liquid Chromatography Used to identify unknown plant pigments & other compounds. Paper Chromatography Can be used to separate the components of inks, dyes, plant compounds (chlorophyll), make-up, and many other substances Thin-Layer Chromatography Uses thin plastic or glass trays to identify the composition of pigments, chemicals, and other unknown substances. Gas Chromatography Used to determine the chemical composition of unknown substances, such as the different compounds in gasoline shown by each separate peak in the graph below.

Uses for Chromatography Chromatography is used by scientists to: Analyze – examine a mixture, its components, and their relations to one another Identify – determine the identity of a mixture or components based on known components Purify – separate components in order to isolate one of interest for further study Quantify – determine the amount of components present in the sample

Illustration of Chromatography Stationary Phase (filter paper) Separation Components Mixture (Ink) Mobile Phase (water) As the water(solvent) is soaked up through the filter paper and reaches the ink dots, the component colors of the ink separate and are carried with the water along the filter paper. The different components travel to different heights on the paper depending on their chemical properties.