Characteristics of electroosmotic flow and migration of neutral solutes under stepwise gradient elution of capillary electrochromatography

Study of elution behaviour with gradient voltage in CEC using methacrylate monolithic columns

A theoretical study on the retention behaviour and chromatographic performance of neutral solutes using a lauryl methacrylate-based monolithic column under voltage gradient mode in CEC was carried out. Through a flexible mathematical function based on a modified Gaussian model, the peak shape of compounds was firstly fitted under constant and gradient voltage. Using the peak shape parameters and retention time, the estimation of global chromatographic performance, efficiency and peak capacity under several voltage conditions was performed. The influence of voltage gradient on the separation efficiency is discussed and simple equations are presented to calculate retention and peak widths under voltage gradient conditions. A comparison in terms of chromatographic performance of a test mixture of neutral solutes under constant and gradient voltage modes was also carried out. The experiments carried out under gradient voltage showed better efficiencies (172,000 plates/m) and lower peak widths than those obtained under constant voltage (52,000 plates/m).

Capillary-based solid-phase extraction with columns prepared using different bead trapping methods

Three approaches of bead immobilization for CEC column preparation in a capillary were examined for SPE. The three approaches included a packed column with a single frit, a packed column with an inlet and outlet frit, and an entrapped column where beads were immobilized within an organic polymer. A direct comparison of SPE/preconcentration of 4,4-difluoro-1,3,5,7,8-pentamethyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene and 4,4-difluoro-5,7-dimethyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene-3-propionic acid with a 2 cm long bed showed that the entrapped column yielded the best performance in terms of reproducibility and robustness. The room temperature chemistry utilized to form the entrapped column enables the column to be photopatterned anywhere within the capillary without loss in bead functionality, and effectively links individual beads to one another at specific bead-bead and bead-capillary contact points. A 0.5 cm long entrapped bed exhibits high mechanical strength and is able to withstand >4400 psi. The entrapped bed was used to preconcentrate progesterone and beta-estradiol providing signal enhancements of >600. Following preconcentration, the hormones could be separated using CEC. With the current availability of numerous well-characterized chromatographic packing materials and the relative simplicity of the fabrication method, this methodology can be readily adapted to HPLC, CEC, and micro total analysis system.

Stepwise gradient of buffer concentration for capillary electrochromatography of peptides on sulfonated naphthalimido-modified silyl silica gel

The advantage of using a stepwise gradient of buffer concentration in CEC was demonstrated with the mixed-mode stationary phase, 3-(4-sulfo-1,8-naphthalimido)propyl-modified silyl silica gel (SNAIP). Before the application of a stepwise gradient, the effect of buffer concentration on the separations of six peptides and tryptic digests was investigated. Bubble formation caused by Joule heating at currents up to 95 microA was successfully suppressed by using SNAIP column even without pressurization, which contributed to a stepwise gradient of buffer concentration. Utilizing the stepwise gradient improved and shortened the separation of six peptides as compared to the separation under an isocratic elution.

Investigation of a novel mixed-mode stationary phase for capillary electrochromatography. Part III: Separation of nucleosides and nucleic acid bases on sulfonated naphthalimido-modified silyl silica gel

Capillary electrochromatography (CEC) with a novel stationary phase, 3-(4-sulfo-1,8-naphthalimido)propyl-modified silyl silica gel (SNAIP), proved useful for the separation of nucleosides and nucleic acid bases. The application scope of SNAIP, which is a relatively polar reversed-phase (RP)-type stationary phase, was successfully expanded to include the CEC separation of polar compounds although the combination of non-polar RP phase with highly aqueous mobile phase is often inadequate. Due to the permanently charged sulfonic acid groups and the naphthalimidopropyl moiety, the retention of charged and relatively polar nucleosides as well as bases on the SNAIP stationary phase was effected by electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. This yielded a unique selectivity on SNAIP toward nucleosides and bases. The characteristic EOF on SNAIP, which was stronger at higher aqueous content in the mobile phase, proved suitable for the separation of polar compounds in reversed-phase mode with highly aqueous mobile phase. In addition, when a double stepwise gradient was employed to accelerate the latest peak (adenine), the elution time was shortened to less than half its original duration.