J. Planar Chromatogr. 33, 99-100 (2020). Review of the papers presented during the Eastern Analytical Symposium (EAS) meeting, held November 17-19, 2019 in Princeton, NJ, USA and organized by The International HPTLC Association. The five papers outlined 1) the use of HPTLC to analyze a complex sample via solvent combinations and the future development of an autorobotic system, 2) analysis of complex samples covering wide ranges of polarity (biofuels, petroleum, lipidomic analysis), 3) HPTLC use in combination with different techniques for environmental analysis, 4) progress in getting official organizations to include HPTLC methods for botanicals in their publications, 5) HPTLC in quality control of botanical supplements, 6) non-botanical applications dietary supplements analysis, 7) HPTLC identification and quantification of cannabinoids in cannabis samples, 8) challenges of validation and transfer of HPTLC methods across multiple laboratories, 9) HPTLC screening for undeclared ingredients and 10) ongoing programs of The International HPTLC Association.

J. Liq. Chromatogr. Relat. Technol. 41, 1052-1065 (2019). Review of the following topics for the period of November 1, 2016 to November 1, 2018: sample preparation for TLC pesticide analysis; lipophilicity and retention studies for the study of biological activity; new reagents for pesticide detection; HPTLC-effect directed analysis on the surface of the layer; TLC-Raman spectrometry for the analysis of thiabendazole, triazophos, and phosmet residues; TLC analysis of radiolabeled pesticides; methods for the separation, detection, and qualitative and quantitative determination of pesticide residues; determination of pesticides in commercial products and the use of TLC for pesticide degradation studies. The review highlighted the isolation, characterization, and determination of less hazardous and less toxic biopesticides from plants, bacteria, fungi, and soil as the most active application area of pesticide TLC today.

J. Liq. Chromatogr. Relat. Technol. 42, 122-127 (2019). Review of the application of TLC and HPTLC for the analysis of Licorice, the dried root and rhizome of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., Glycyrrhiza inflate Bat., or Glycyrrhiza glabra L. The authors described methods using HPLC combined with HPLC fingerprint for rapid identification of species as well as methodologies for the analysis of glabridin on silica gel and RP-18.

J. Liq. Chromatogr. Relat. Technol. 42, 238-248 (2019). Review of recent applications of TLC in medicinal chemistry, including the determination of lipophilicity of biologically active compounds and its influence as activity descriptors of absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination and toxicity. Practical applications of TLC as a fast screening technique in different stages of monitoring processes were also described, including systems recently used for stability studies of selected drugs.

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.

J. Planar Chromatogr. 29, 162-164 (2016). Book review of the 1st edition of "Forced-flow layer chromatography", published in 2015 by Elsevier Science Publishing Co Inc. The book describes the specifics of the technique, from its evolution to the characteristic nuances that complement TLC and HPTLC. The review provides a short introduction of each of the eight chapters, as well as key features of the book, including biological aspects.

The book describes the TLC analysis of ingredients of about 230 plant drugs of worldwide interest grouped into 19 classes. 184 color images document the separation results. The book is a valuable collection for drug analysis.