A simplified method for rapid determination of porphyrins by thin-layer chromatography

Free porphyrins, especially copro-, uro-, and protoporphyrin, were successfully separated by talc thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and were determined from the relationship of the weight and the area of porphyrins in the spot on the thin-layer plate. The results obtained from both the solvent extraction and the simple, rapid TLC method reported in this paper showed good correlation for coproporphyrin levels up to 400 microgram/1. The TLC method was applied to the determination of urinary coproporphyrin in lead workers and in rats.