Chromatography by silica-gel chromatobars. Prospects of its application in the field of forensic toxicology.

A new type of chromatographic column of silica gel 20 mm in diameter and 180 mm long has been investigated in the field of forensic analytical toxicology. In order to evaluate the usefulness of chromatobars in isolating organic compounds from biological extracts, sodium phenyl-ethyl-barbiturate, atropine, morphine and strychnine were added to the aqueous extract obtained with Stas-Otto's isolation method. Afterwards the residues of the acidic ether extract, alkaline ether extract and alkaline chloroform extract, were chromatographed on chromatobar. This chromatographic device seems able to avoid the drawbacks and limitations of paper and thin-layer chromatography, mainly from the preparative aspect. The method is particularly advantageous in analysing the whole extract obtained with the Stas-Otto process, without bringing about its partition, especially when slight traces of toxic substances are present.