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Why is water not used as a solvent in paper chromatography​

User Amallard
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11 votes

Answer:

Because the kind of compounfds that you try to determine using paper chromatography (organic compounds) are usually not soluble in water. Furthermore, water could react chemically with some of this compounds, because it's a very reactive molecule. You need organic solvents that are mostly inert.

User Mark Ortiz
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