The use of thin layer chromatography in the separation of free porphyrins and porphyrin methyl esters

Abstract

Thin layer chromatographic techniques for the separation and subsequent quantification of free porphyrins, coproporphyrin isomers and the methyl esters of porphyrins are described including a 2-dimensional system. The relevant RFs for a wide range of porphyrins are given. These methods have been in use in Cardiff and Barcelona for a number of years and were used in the survey of cases described by Piñol et al. (1975) which resulted in the discovery of the new porphyria, hepato-erythrocytic porphyria.