Thin-layer chromatography of aluminium: quantitative densitometric determination of Fe2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, and Si4+

Thin-layer chromatography in combination with scanning densitometry is used as a tool for the quantitative determination of some impurity and additive elements in aluminium. Microgram levels of iron, silicon, copper, nickel, titanium, magnesium, manganese, and zinc present in a high concentration aluminium matrix is detected, and selective separations of some of these elements are achieved on silica gel H layers developed with a mobile phase containing aqueous sodium chloride solution. The quantitative determination of iron, silicon, nickel, and copper are obtained from the densitometric evaluation of chromatograms and are compared with the respective optical emission spectral analytical data.