A challenge to all Metalheads, Here is a list of All the acknowledged major Metal genres:Alternative MetalAvant-Garde MetalBlack MetalDeath MetalDoom MetalFolk MetalGothic MetalGrindcoreGroove MetalHeavy MetalIndustrial MetalMetalcoreNeo-Classical MetalPower MetalProgressive MetalSludge MetalSpeed MetalStoner MetalSymphonic MetalThrash MetalViking MetalThe Challenge is to name a band you like or can least tolerate from each genre, and a favorite album from said genre.
Metal ions may be coloured, but the amount run in a chromatogram would be so small as to be invisible to the naked eye so a locating agent is needed. It would depend on the metal. You need a material that gives a strong colour reaction with the metal ion and ideally precipitates it out and fixes it in place on the paper. Ferrocyanide would do for Fe3+ Reducing agents will work for Ag+, Au3+ and the platinum metals leaving a precipitate if the metal. Sulphide should work for a lot of heavy/transition metals giving black or brown sulphide precipitates.
The other answer here is a good one. Since you are dealing with paper chromatography here, I cannot help but think a flame test might be useful
