Filter Paper Chromatography

Consden, Gordon and Martin reported a very ingenious method for the separation of amino acids by filter paper chromatography in which phenol or some other appropriate organic solvent sweeps the applied amino acids along the filter paper, capillarity causing the organic solvent to move. The percentage of light intermission along the chromatogram is measured and this transmission has been plotted on semi-log graph paper against the distance along the filter paper strips, and the areas of the segments above the plotted curve measured with a planimeter. It has been found that the areas so determined are over a limited concentration range a simple function of the concentration of the amino acids. The various factors which influence the reliability of this method are reported.