Solvent systems for thin layer chromatography of biological dyes.

Thirty-nine dyes were subjected to thin layer chromatography to evaluate eight different solvent systems. The results obtained were analysed by dye class following assessment in daylight and ultra violet light. N-butanol: acetic acid: water (40:10:50) gave optimum separations of dyes viewed in visible light. Although n-butanol: ethanol: water (90:10:10) gave slightly better results for fluorescing compounds, material was frequently left at the start point with this solvent.