Identification of Amino Acids on TLC Plates with Binary Visualization Reagent

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DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/bbra/1153

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ABSTRACT:

Thin layer chromatography (TLC) is an important tool for detecting amino acids by several spray reagents. Ninhydrin is the most well known spray reagent for identification of amino acids due to its high sensitivity. But, it produces same purple/violet color with all amino acids, except two imino acids proline and hydroxy proline. A new visualization reagent, benzaldehyde has been introduced here which produces distinguishable colors with almost all the amino acids with moderately high sensitivity (0.01-1.0 μg) in the presence of ninhydrin. A probable mechanism for such color formation is also predicted.

KEYWORDS:

Thin-layer chromatography; amino acids; benzaldehyde; ninhydrin