SEPARATION STUDIES OF METAL-IONS IN SODIUM THIOGLYCOLATE MEDIUM BY THIN-LAYER PARTITION CHROMATOGRAPHY

A thin layer partition chromatographic method has been developed for separation of Fe(III), Ni(II), Zn(II), Cu(II), Pb(II) and Mn(II) on thin layers of silica gel-G as an adsorbent. The R(f) values were determined using 0.01-0.2 aqueous solution of sodium thioglycolate as a mobile phase. The dependence of R(f) values on the migration time, pH and concentration of mobile phase has been studied. The optimum conditions for possible 3-component separation have been determined. Metal ions have been separated, detected, eluted and quantitatively determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The present method was applied to the separation and determination of zinc in forensic samples.