Application of planar chromatography to sample analysis in the sugar industry

Analysis of sugar mixtures by modern liquid chromatographic techniques, bot h column and planar, has gained in prominence. As far as planar chromatogra phy is concerned, the introduction of high performance bonded-phase layers and instrumental development techniques has opened up new avenues in the TL C analysis of sugars, especially for samples that normally require cumberso me clean-up processes. In chromatography, gradient elution is the technique of choice when the mixture components span a wide range of polarities (or molecular structure). Planar chromatography gradient development is also po ssible using an automated technique (AMD), which has been recently introduc ed. This technique makes large spot capacities possible because of the reco ncentration effect caused by the multiple development as well as the accomm odation of many spots on the same chromatographic plate, because of the gra dient development. Thus, complex samples, such as beet or cane molasses, ca n be analyzed (or at least screened) on high-performance thin layers using modern scanners which allow a great deal of information to be obtained. In the analysis of molasses, over pressure liquid chromatography (OPLC) is als o interesting. This is a forced flow technique which makes both large spot capacities and short development times possible, and can be utilized for gr adient elutions as well. Details of the analysis of both beet and cane mola sses are reported, and a comparison between the two techniques mentioned pr eviously is discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.