This report describes methods for the thin‐layer chromatography (TLC) of lipids and some practical aspects of the methods. In order to present some basis for choosing the correct powder for particular separations, some properties of several widely used silica gel powders are compared. The effect of binder material such as calcium sulfate in silica gel is studied. The three systems, silica gel as a polar phase, silver nitrate‐impregnated silica gel, and reversed phase systems are described with application to neutral lipids. Also included are the applications of TLC to the polar lipids, such as phospholipids, cerebrosides, sulfatides, sphingomyelin and other glycolipids from various sources. The pitfalls and precautions involved in these separations are discussed in detail.

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Preparative gas chromatography and thin‐layer chromatography have been used successfully in several purification applications. Both methods are very good when small (10 mg or less) samples are involved. In fact, the low capacity of the methods is actually an advantage in such cases and is a major reason for using the methods. When larger samples are to be prepared by gas chromatography, the low capacity becomes a problem. However, by the use of conventional purification procedures to concentrate the desired component as much as possible, and the use of large columns (up to 1 in. diameter) gram quantities of rare fatty acids have been successfully prepared. Gas Liquid Chromatography has been an invaluable tool where other purification methods have failed.