A high performance thin layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method for species identification of grass leaf stains

Grass stains are frequently encountered as evidentiary material particularly in outdoor criminal investigations. These stains, if analyzed properly and identified correctly can solve the mysteries of outdoor criminal cases. High Performance Thin Layer Chromatographic (HPTLC) being highly sensitive, reliable and reproducible technique is best suited for the analysis of grass stains. In the present study, we report a HPTLC method for the separation and subsequent analysis of various phytoconstituents of leaf stains of forty grass species commonly found in Punjab, a state in northwestern India. It has been found that the HPTLC profiles of leaf stains of selected grasses can differentiate them and can be used successfully as a characteristic tool for the species identification of grass leaf stains.