Automatic developing chamber

Fig. 2 The steps in the process of thin-layer chromatography that have been instrumentalized and automated to a large degree in the recent past. PMD = Programmed Multiple Development, AMD = Automated Multiple Development, DC-Mat or ADC = Automatic Development Chamber.

More recent chromatogram chambers - e.g. the AMD system (Fig. 11) - only possess a small observation window and this can, if necessary, be covered with a black cloth. Development in the DC-Mat (Fig. 12) or the ADC (Fig. 13) automatic development chambers is carried out entirely in the dark. 

FIGURE 5.25 Automatic development chamber Desaga TLC thermobox 200. 

FIGURE 5.26 Automatic development chamber Baron TLC-Mat adjustable for preparative purposes. 

A new step has been implemented with the development of automatic developing chambers and polarity gradients. With these techniques, development of a plate over 5-7 cm may be sufficient to separate up to 50 compounds and identify them. Universal gradient systems based on methanol, dichloromethane, and hexane, for instance (see Camag Bibliography Service for more information), have been developed as starting points for method development. 

The chamber type is noted N for normal chamber (or DT-N for double-trough chamber, CAMAG), H for horizontal chamber (e.g. 5x5 cm, DESAGA), DC-MAT for automatic development chamber (Baron), ADC for automatic developing chamber (CAMAG), etc. 

The next important stage is chromatogram development. Automatic developing chambers (Automatic Developing... 

Ethyl acetate-2-butanone- Methanol formic add-water (7 3 1.2 0.8)for anthocyanins, ethyl acetate-toluene-formic add-water (10 3 0.8 1.2) for anthocyanidin development in automatic developing chamber 2 (CAMAG)... 

Similar Automatic Developing Chambers (ADC) for either 20 X 10 or 20 X 20 cm plates are available from Camag. The ADC was used to separate saturated and unsaturated oligogalacturonic acids by multiple development with 1-propanol-water mixtures on silica gel 60 plates (Dongowski, 1997). 

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