Planar chromatography software

The instrament Linomat 5 is fully controllable by the winCATS-Planar Chromatography Manager software. With this system, one can select various parameters, such as number of tracks, band length, and application volume sequence, x positions on the plates, track distances, as well as application methods. The instrument applies the samples onto a thin layer automatically however, only changing the sample, i.e., filling and rinsing the syringe, is carried out manually. ... 

In planar chromatography, reference compounds are chromatographed with the unloiown sample. Tentative identification is made by comparison of the migration distances and detection characteristics of the reference compounds with those of the unknown analytes. If the Rf of the unicnown analyte and the Rf of the reference compound do not match, the compounds are judged to be different. If they match, the compounds are presumed to be identical. However, as more than one compound can have the same Rf in a particular chromatographic system, the presumptive identification has to be confirmed by the use of specific spray reagents, antibody complexation, or isolation of the compound followed by chemical and/or instrumental analysis. Software is now available for compound identification by library searching of UV spectra based on corrected Rf values. ... 

As an offline technique the TLC process consists of several individual steps. Traditionally, instruments for each step are controlled by separate more or less sophisticated software. winCATS-Planar Chromatography Manager (CAMAG, Switzerland) is the first integrated software that can communicate with all instruments involved in the TLC process. A win-CATS method file can include information about the stationary phase, samples and their components, standards and their preparation, application parameters, prechromatographic derivatization, development conditions, postchromatographic derivatization, all parameters of densitometric and spectral evaluation, and details of electronic documentation using a... 

Gerasimov, A. V. Use of the software processing of scanned chromatogram images (flatbed scanner) in quantitative planar chromatography. J. Anal. Chem. 2004,59 (4), 348-353. 

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