Application of Thin-Layer Chromatography with fluorescence scanning densitometry for analysing saturates in heavy liquids derived from co-pyrolysis of biomass and plastics

Two alternative methods, based on Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC) with Fluorescence Scanning Densitometry have been developed for characterization of heavy liquids from copyrolysis of different kinds of biomass and plastics in autoclaves under inert atmosphere. A conventional TLC system, which includes a vertical developing tank, and a High Performance TLC (HPTLC) system, with a horizontal developing chamber and the use of HPTLC plates, have been used. The analytical method involves in both cases the measurement of two chromatograms per sample: the first, on a silica gel berberine-impregnated plate, for detection of saturates using the phenomenon of berberine-induced fluorescence; and the second, on a silica gel plate, for detection of aromatic-polars and polars, by native fluorescence. Although the HPTLC system is more sensitive and faster, both techniques represent an improvement with regard to current methods for analyzing these kinds of products. However their application depends on the particular solubility of each sample and on its slope of the fluorescent response-sample load regression.