A Simple Thin-layer Chromatographic Method To Detect the Main Polyphenols Occurring In Olive Oil Vegetation Waters

A thin layer chromatographic (TLC) method has been developed to detect the major polyphenols (the main pollutants) in olive oil vegetation waters. The method involves reversed phase TLC (C18-TLC) and silica gel high performance TLC (Si-HPTLC) on the organic extracts of oil vegetation waters (VW), using catechol, 4-methylcatechol, tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein as standards. Using Si-HPTLC analysis it is possible to detect only tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol, whilst with C18-TLC analysis all of the main polyphenols present except oleuropein can be detected. Confirmation of the identities of the polyphenolic compounds was obtained by C18-TLC and Si-HPTLC analysis of the acetylated organic extracts of VW together with the more stable acetyl derivatives of the phenols as standards.