AbstractThe possibility of paper‐chromatographic identification of mixtures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons has been studied. In order to decrease the hydrophilic character of filter paper, it was either acetylated or impregnated with alumina, propylene glycol, Vaseline or silicone.The systems studied were: anthracene and methylated anthracenes; fluorene and methylated fluorenes; phenanthrene, fluorene and anthracene; mixtures of tricyclic and of polycyclic hydrocarbons (found in the ‘chrysene fraction’). Some success was achieved with separations in these sy