Qualitative, Quantitative and Preparative Chromatography of Steroids on Fully Acetylated Paper

Abstract

THE majority of methods developed for the paper chromatographic separation of steroids involve impregnation of the paper with a relatively polar, non-volatile liquid, such as propylene glycol, forma-mide or ‘Phenylcellosolve’, a less polar liquid being used as the mobile phase. Some ‘reversed phase’ techniques have also been applied, in which the paper is rendered hydrophobic by impregnation with ‘Quilon’, paraffin oil, kerosene or silicone and the mobile phase is a relatively polar liquid. Impregnation of the paper is usually difficult to carry out in a reproducible way and therefore R _F values may depend on slight experimental variations. Moreover, impregnation with a non-volatile liquid may interfere in quantitative determinations.