Densitometric thin-layer chromatography of polycyclic aromatic sulfur compounds

Thin-layer chromatography has been used to separate a mixture of sulfur polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (S-PAH), heterocyclic compounds with mutagenic and carcinogenic properties. S-PAH were oxidized to give the sulfone derivatives and then S-PAH standards, their oxidized forms, and PAH were applied to silica gel and RP-18 plates and developed in a horizontal chamber with different mobile phases. After chromatography the plates were observed in UV light at lambda = 254 nm and scanned densitometrically at the same wavelength. R-F values were determined for the compounds.