Detection Methods:

The detection of the spots in TLC is easier than in PC as silica and alumina used as support are inert than paper and therefore, strongly reactive reagents could be used to situate the compounds. The universal method includes the use of iodine vapours for colourless or non-fluorescent spots. That consists of exposing the establishment plate to iodine vapours which interact with the sample components, either chemically or by solubility to generate colour. Instead some other colour forming reagents called chromogenic reagents as given in Table 6.2 may be used.

Table:  Some Chromogenic Reagents Used for Identification in Thin Layer Chormatography