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

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 Pinol et al. (1975) which resulted in the discovery of the new porphyria, hepato-erythrocytic porphyria.