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Which substances are commonly separated by thin-layer chromatography?

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What is chromatography? — chromatography Overview of the chemical technique of chromatography.

Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) is a widely used analytical technique in food and pharmaceutical laboratories for separating various dissolved chemical substances. It is particularly effective for isolating components found in naturally occurring materials.1

Common substances separated by this method include:

Lipids: Fats and related compounds found in animal and vegetable tissues.1
Terpenes: The volatile and fragrant components derived from plants and flowers.1

In this process, a mixture is deposited on a plate coated with an adsorbent, such as silica gel or alumina. As a solvent moves up the plate via capillary action, the components separate based on their varying degrees of attachment to the coating. TLC is valued for being an inexpensive and rapid method, and it possesses a distinct advantage over paper chromatography because the plates can withstand strong solvents and various chemical reagents used to identify the separated components.12