Dry column chromatography of phospholipids.

Separation of common phospholipids can be effected by dry column chromatography on silica gel. The method involves packing the column with dry gel and developing it in solvent mixtures used for thin-layer chromatography of the same lipids. Solvent is allowed to migrate only to the end of the column; access to the bands of separated material is obtained by using columns with a removable glass front. RF values of lipids on development columns and those on thin-layer plates are nearly identical when the column is packed with thin-layer chromatography gel. Such columns, however, develop very slowly. Columns packed with fine silica gel designed for elution column chromatography develop very rapidly and yield separations that are still quite comparable to those obtainable from thin-layer plates. Such columns are convenient for the purification of phospholipids in amounts of 10 mg to about 10 g. Column design and construction are described in detail.