J. Planar Chromatogr. 10, 48-54 (1997). Description of the application of TLC to the analysis of toxic metals (inorganic and organic mercury, Co, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cu, Fe, Ag, Bi, Mn, Sn, Cr, Al, Be, As, Sb) in a variety of environmental samples. The period covered is 1960 -1995. Spectrophotometry, titrimetry, AAS, densitometry, fluorimetry, and solvent extraction techniques have been combined with TLC for sensitive identification, quantification, and selective separation of toxic heavy metals present in natural, river, and sea waters, electroplating waste water, sludges, aquatic plants, cosmic dust, air, and airborne dust, etc.

J. Planar Chromatogr. 23, 28-34 (2010). Plates with layers of specified soil were prepared by coating 20 cm × 3.5 cm glass plates by a soil slurry (soil-to-water ratio 1:2) to give layers 0.5 mm thick. The plates were then dried in air at room temperature (30 ± 2°C). TLC of Zn(II) and Cd(II) nitrate on soil plates with 1.0 M magnesium chloride solution in 9.9 mM CTAB (cetaltrimethylammonium bromide) as the optimum mobile phase (of 35 mobile phases). Detection by spraying with dithizone solution (0.1 % in carbon tetrachloride) to obtain dark pink and brick red spots of complexes. The smallest detectable amounts of Zn(II) and Cd(II) on soil layers were 0.69 and 1.0 µg, respectively, for distilled water and 9.0 mM CTAB solution, and 1.2 and 2.5 µg, respectively, for the optimum mobile phase.

Chromatogr. (Se Pu) 3, 188-191 (1985). (Chinese) (Thin-layer chromatographic analysis of rare earth elements.) TLC of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium and europium on silica with ether - bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate - nitric acid 100:4. 2:1. 8. Detection by spraying with Arsenazo Ill-reagent. Quantification by densitometry at 650 nm

Detection by spraying with CPAmN reagent. Quantification by densitometry at 665 nm. Detection limit about 10 ng.

J. Liquid Chrom. 10, 1327-1348 (1987). TLC of 82 metal complexes of monothio-ß-diketones on silica or RP-18 silica with 11 single solvents, 14 binary solvents and 6 reversed phase solvent systems. Detection by intense color of the complexes and by inspection under UV.

Chinese Anal. Chem. (Fenxi Huaxue) 16, 1098-1100 (1988). TLC of 15 rare earths on silica with P 204 - P 507 - TBP - THF - nitric acid - isopropyl ether 111:52:5:521:86:1000 and 68:43:27:460:103:1000. Rf values in the two systems were given. The method is suitable for separation of the elements in alloys.

J. Liquid Chromatogr. 12, 3163-3191 (1989). Examination of the chromatographic behavior of 14 heavy metals on silica and silica impregnated with aqueous salt solutions of NaCl, KBr, KI and NH4Cl (0.1 and 1.0 M) using solutions of formic acid and aqueous salt solutions in various proportions. Achievement of quantitative separations of µg to mg quantities of Ti(IV), Fe(III) and Al(III) from each other in addition to a series of effective qualitative separations of binary and ternary mixtures. The development time for the migration of mobile phases was much shorter on NH4Cl-impregnated silica layers. More compact and clearer detection of cations was observed on KI-impregnated silica layer.

Chromatogr. 9, 59-61 (1991). TLC of Cu, Hg, Cd, Co, Ni, extracted with diphenyl thiocarbazone at pH2 or 9, on silica containing 2.5% sodium acetate or ammonium acetate with toluene. Discussion of the optimization of condition and interferences. Detection limit, 0.02 µg