Chromatography can be used to identify substances-
You can use paper chromatography to identify different substances in a mixture. It uses the fact that different substances wash through wet filter paper at different rates.
1) Put spots of each mixture being tested on a pencil baseline on filter paper.
2) Roll up the paper and put it in a beaker containing a solvent, such as ethanol or water. The baseline must be kept above the level of the solvent.
3) The solvent seeps up the paper, taking the samples with it.