Adsorption

Principle of paper chromatography is based on liquid - liquid partition chromatography. In paper chromatography, special quality paper known as chromatography paper contains water trapped in it which acts as the stationary phase. A strip of chromatographic paper spotted at the base with the solution of the mixture is suspended in a suitable solvent for a mixture of solvents. This solvent acts as the mobile phase. The solvent rises up the paper by capillary action and flows over the spot. The paper selectively retains different components according to their differing partition in the two phases. The paper strip so developed is called as a chromatogram.