What exactly is HPTLC?

High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) is not the TLC that many people remember from the past, where the extent of discussion was filter paper being dipped into a beaker. It is also not the TLC that was used by many labs where 20cmx20cm plates were hand spotted with a pipette and the resulting blobs were crudely interpreted. HPTLC is a mature, sophisticated technique that involves using modern instrumentation with sound science and standardized, reproducible methodology.

To get a visual impression of the major differences between conventional TLC and modern HPTLC:

TLC:

HPTLC:

Here are some of the reasons why these two techniques differ in appearance:

So as you can see, HPTLC is the technique of choice for anyone wishing to perform proper identity tests on their raw materials. So contact CAMAG today to get started!