Anal. Chem. 69, 145R-163R (1997). A review with 14 references on TLC applications.

Springer Scientific Publisher, Budapest, 2001, 614 pages, ISBN 963 699 157 X. A detailed overview inclusive newest information on planar chromatography is given. In 29 chapters topics are covered by contributors from many different countries concerning the technique and instrumentation of planar chromatography, some specific fields of its application and some fundamental theoretical considerations. It offers a wide range of techniques; some of them are used only for distinct analytical tasks. See page 44

J. Planar Chromatogr. 18, 5-12 (2005). Review of the latest achievements in chiral separation by planar chromatography since 2001 (chiral ligand exchange; cellulose and derivatives; coated or impregnated layers; cyclodextrins; miscellaneous; diastereoisomers; conclusions). The emphasis is on cellulose derivatives and, especially, microcrystalline cellulose triacetate (MCTA) showing that TLC has some interesting features compared with HPLC. Some enantiomer separations have been successfully achieved by TLC whereas no data are available for HPLC. For tribenzoyl cellulose derivatives general trends for resoution by both TLC and HPLC are discussed. Furtheron reasons for the scarcity of publications on chiral separations by either planar chromatography or overpressured layer chromatography are discussed. The possibilities of PC for chiral separations are rather unexploited.

Planta Med. 75, 711-718 (2009). For many decades, planar chromatography has been used for the analysis of plants, in particular today in its most advanced form of HPTLC. The technique is e. g. used for the identification of medicinal plants and dietary supplements, and for the detection of adulteration and quantitative determination of marker substances. Reliable qualitative and quantitative results can be achieved based on suitable instrumentation and adequate methodological concepts. The manageability of the entire planar chromatographic process has improved. Integration of biological detection systems as well as hyphenation to mass spectroscopy has widened the applicability of planar chromatography as an important analytical technique. The introduction is followed by explanation of HPTLC, use of HPTLC in plant analysis, limitations, applications (identification, detection of adulteration and quantitation), and instrumentation (chromatogram development, documentation, detection and evaluation).

(Thin Layer Chromatography, Practice and Avoidance of Mistakes). (German). Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH, Weinheim, 1997, 320 pages, 140 figures, 60 in color, ISBN 3-527-28873-2. Published in December 1997 this book helps newcomers as well as experienced to utilize the advantages of TLC even more. Many color images document the engaged work of the author in the field of TLC documentation.

Encyclopedia of Chromatography Third Edition 1, 1640-1647 (2009). This review describes densitometry as the most widely used quantitative TLC method. The principles and theory of densitometry, as well as the instrumental design and data handling are also described. It also mentions in detail the applications and practical aspects of densitometry and finally describes the advantages of TLC/densitometry compared to HPLC.

Special part: TLC of lipids, vitamins, carotenoids, flavonoids, organic acids, pesticides, insecticides, antioxidants, mycotoxins, surfactants.

J. Chromatogr. A 1218 (19), 2793-2811 (2011). A review on the forensic examination of writing ink on documents. The focus in ink analysis is on screening questioned samples and on verifying their compounds in relation to control ink samples. Description of a project designed to develop improved standardization procedures to ensure the best possible reproducibility between analyses run on different HPTLC plates. HPTLC of ink samples (punched from written documents and extracted with tetrahydrofuran – water 4:1) on silica gel with n-butanol – ethanol – water 10:2:3 without chamber saturation. Detection by densitometric measurement of absorption intensities of each point of the elution track directly at 31 wavelengths between 200 and 700 nm.