The applicability of fluorescence line-narrowing spectroscopy in combination with thin-layer chromatography

Laser excitation at low temperatures of compounds on thin-layer chromatographic plates yields, also after elution, highly resolved spectra. The fluorescence line-narrowed spectra permit identification of spectroscopically alike compounds, as is demonstrated for pyrene and halogenated pyrenes. Detection limits are in the low nanogram region even with relatively simple instrumentation. It is shown that quantitative application is possible if an internal standard is used.