Improved resolution of inorganic anions in capillary electrophoresis by modification of the reversed electroosmotic flow and the anion mobility with mixed surfactants

Isotopic separation of [(14)n]- and [(15)n]aniline by capillary electrophoresis using surfactant- controlled reversed electroosmotic flow

Separation of isotopically labeled [(14)N]- and [(15)N]aniline was achieved using capillary electrophoresis based on the isotopic effect on pK(a). The effects of the buffer co-ion, pH, and electroosmotic mobility on the resolution are investigated in this paper. Electroosmotic flow (EOF) was controlled using the zwitterionic surfactant Rewoteric AM CAS U as buffer additive. The resultant EOF was anodic (reversed) and low in magnitude (0.6 × 10(-)(4) cm(2)/(V·s)). The resolution of [(14)N]- and [(15)N]aniline was 1.22. Addition of a cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, to the zwitterionic surfactant increased the magnitude of the anodic EOF. This EOF improved the resolution to 1.33 based on mobility counterbalance.

Electrophoretic separations in poly(dimethylsiloxane) microchips using mixtures of ionic, nonionic and zwitterionic surfactants

The use of surfactant mixtures to affect both EOF and separation selectivity in electrophoresis with PDMS substrates is reported, and capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection is introduced for EOF measurement on PDMS microchips. First, the EOF was measured for two nonionic surfactants (Tween 20 and Triton X-100), mixed ionic/nonionic surfactant systems (SDS/Tween 20 and SDS/Triton X-100), and finally for the first time, mixed zwitterionic/nonionic surfactant systems (TDAPS/Tween 20 and TDAPS/Triton X-100). EOF for the nonionic surfactants decreased with increasing surfactant concentration. The addition of SDS or TDAPS to a nonionic surfactant increased EOF. After establishing the EOF behavior, the separation of model catecholamines was explored to show the impact on separations. Similar analyte resolution with greater peak heights was achieved with mixed surfactant systems containing Tween 20 and TDAPS relative to the single surfactant system. Finally, the detection of catecholamine release from PC12 cells by stimulation with 80 mM K(+) was performed to demonstrate the usefulness of mixed surfactant systems to provide resolution of biological compounds in complex samples.

Electrophoretic separations in poly(dimethylsiloxane) microchips using a mixture of ionic and zwitterionic surfactants

The use of mixtures of ionic and zwitterionic surfactants in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microchips is reported. The effect of surfactant concentration on electroosmotic flow (EOF) was studied for a single anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS), a single zwitterionic surfactant (N-tetradecylammonium-N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propanesulfonate, TDAPS), and a mixed SDS/TDAPS surfactant system. SDS increased the EOF as reported previously while TDAPS showed an initial increase in EOF followed by a reduction at higher concentrations. When TDAPS was added to a solution containing SDS, the EOF decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. The EOF for all three surfactant systems followed expected pH trends, with increasing EOF at higher pH. The mixed surfactant system allowed tuning of the EOF across a range of pH and concentration conditions. After establishing the EOF behavior, the adsorption/desorption kinetics were measured and showed a slower adsorption/desorption rate for TDAPS than SDS. Finally, the separation and electrochemical detection of model catecholamines in buffer and reduced glutathione in red blood cell lysate using the mixed surfactant system were explored. The mixed surfactant system provided shorter analysis times and/or improved resolution when compared to the single surfactant systems.

Separation of organic cations using novel background electrolytes by capillary electrophoresis

A background electrolyte for capillary electrophoresis containing tris(-hydroxymethyl) aminomethane (THAM) and ethanesulfonic acid (ESA) gives excellent efficiency for separation of drug cations with actual theoretical plate numbers as high as 300,000. However, the analyte cations often elute too quickly and consequently offer only a narrow window for separation. The best way to correct this is to induce a reverse electroosmotic flow (EOF) that will spread out the peaks by slowing their migration rates, but this has always been difficult to accomplish in a controlled manner. A new method for producing a variable EOF is described in which a low variable concentration of tributylammonium- or triethylammonium ESA is added to the BGE. The additive equilibrates with the capillary wall to give it a positive charge and thereby produce a controlled opposing EOF. Excellent separations of complex drug mixtures were obtained by this method.

Suppression of electroosmotic flow and its application to determination of electrophoretic mobilities in a poly(vinylpyrrolidone)-coated capillary

A hydrophilic polymer, poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), was employed for suppressing the electroosmotic flow (EOF). A capillary was filled with aqueous PVP solution for coating the capillary wall with PVP; the PVP solution was then replaced by a migration buffer solution containing no PVP. Three types of PVP with different molecular weights were examined. The EOF was suppressed more effectively as the molecular weight of PVP increased. The EOF in the coated capillary was approximately 10-fold smaller than that of a bare capillary and was constant in the pH range of 6-8. The suppressed EOF was stable even when no PVP was added to the migration buffer. However, the EOF increased significantly when sodium dodecyl sulfate was added into the migration buffer. The method was applied for determining the electrophoretic mobilities of inorganic anions that have negative electrophoretic mobilities larger than the electroosmotic mobility of the bare capillary. A novel method for determining the electrophoretic mobilities was proposed based on the linear relationship between electric current and electrophoretic mobility. The electrophoretic mobility was proportional to the electric current. Therefore, the intercept of the regression equation represents the electrophoretic mobility at room temperature. The electrophoretic mobilities were in good agreement with the absolute electrophoretic mobilities.

Negatively charged sol-gel column with stable electroosmotic flow for online preconcentration of zwitterionic biomolecules in capillary electromigration separations

A negatively charged sol-gel coating was developed for on-line preconcentration of zwitterionic biomolecules in capillary electrophoresis (CE), using asparagine and myoglobin as representative zwitterionic bioanalytes. The sol-gel coating was created by using a solution containing three precursors: mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS), tetramethoxysilane (TMOS), and n-octadecyltriethoxysilane (C18-TEOS). The resulting sol-gel coating contained chemically bonded mercaptopropyl functional groups that were further oxidized by hydrogen peroxide to the corresponding sulfonic acid moieties. Such a surface-bonded sol-gel coating can carry a negative charge over a wide range of pH due to the presence of deprotonated sulfonic acid groups. Under favorable pH conditions, the negatively charged sol-gel coating can facilitate the extraction of positively charged analytes from a zwitterionic sample through electrostatic interaction. This principle was employed to extract myoglobin and asparagine by passing aqueous samples of these zwitterionic analytes through a negatively charged sol-gel column. The extracted analytes were then desorbed and focused via local pH change and stacking. The local pH change was accomplished by passing a buffer solution with a pH above the solute p/ value, while a dynamic pH junction between the sample solution and the background electrolyte was utilized to facilitate solute focusing. The sorption/desorption phenomena could, perhaps, also be explained on the basis of ion-exchange and local pH junction effects. On-line preconcentration and analysis results obtained on sulfonated sol-gel columns were compared with those obtained on an uncoated fused silica capillary of identical dimensions using conventional sample injections. Using UV detection, the presented sample preconcentration technique provided a sensitivity enhancement factor (SEF) on the order of 3 x 10(3) for myoglobin, and 7 x 10(3) for asparagine.

Novel approach for the rapid determination of water-soluble organic acids in wine by co-electroosmotic flow capillary zone electrophoresis

An innovative protocol for the fast analysis of some organic acids in red wine by co-electroosmotic capillary zone electrophoresis and indirect UV detection using hexadimethrine bromide (HDB) as coating agent was proposed. The adsorption of HDB onto the capillary wall provided a stable electroosmotic flow and separation of small anions was carried out using background electrolytes containing no polymer additive. Low RSD% values (<3.6%) in terms of migration times and effective mobilities were obtained from the analysis of a mixture of nitrate and nitrite and of a mixture of organic acids. An experimental design approach was used to investigate the effects of temperature, separation voltage, and percentage of methanol added to the running buffer solution on the separation of the analytes. A faster method allowing the separation of the organic acids involved in the malolactic fermentation of wine was developed. Using a running electrolyte consisting of 35% (v/v) methanol in a solution of 22 mM benzoic acid at pH 6.10 adjusted with 1.0 M TRIS-base buffer, the separation of tartaric, malic, succinic, acetic, and lactic acids was feasible in less than 210 s. Application of the method to the quantification of the above-mentioned organic acids in Italian red wine samples is reported.

Semi-permanent surfactant coatings for inorganic anion analysis in capillary electrophoresis

Capillary electrophoretic separations of inorganic anions are performed using a capillary coated with a mixture of the cationic surfactant didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) and the zwitterionic surfactant 1,2-dilauroyl-sn-phosphatidylcholine (DLPC). These double-chained surfactants form semi-permanent coatings on the capillary wall, which allows the excess surfactant to be removed from the buffer prior to separation. Interactions between surfactant aggregates in the buffer and analyte anions are thus eliminated. The electroosmotic flow (EOF) can be altered from fully reversed (100% DDAB) to near zero (100% DLPC) using different ratios of DDAB and DLPC. Controlling the EOF allows for improved resolution of the anions while maintaining a rapid, co-EOF separation, free from analyte-surfactant additive interactions.

Determination of zwitterionic and cationic surfactants by high-performance liquid chromatography with chemiluminescenscent nitrogen detection

The use of chemiluminescent nitrogen specific detection (CLND) combined with an HPLC separation allows for the identification and quantification of cationic and zwitterionic surfactants. The CLND provides equimolar responses, based on the amount of nitrogen within any compound. This allows for the detection of any nitrogen containing surfactant. Reversed-phase separation methods using cyano columns are developed for cationic and zwitterionic (sulfobetaine) surfactant mixtures. The limits of detection for these surfactants are in the single micromolar range (1 ng N). A linear response was obtained (R2=0.9981) between 50 microM and 5 mM. The methodology was then applied to the determination of an industrial zwitterionic surfactant, Rewoteric AM CAS U [coco(amidopropyl)hydroxyldimethylsulfobetaine].

Protein separation and surfactant control of electroosmotic flow in poly(dimethylsiloxane)-coated capillaries and microchips

A thermally pyrolyzed poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) coating intended to prevent surface adsorption during capillary electrophoretic (CE) [Science 222 (1983) 266] separation of proteins, and to provide a substrate for surfactant adsorption for electroosmotic mobility control was prepared and evaluated. Coating fused-silica capillaries or glass microchip CE devices with a 1% solution of 100 cSt silicone oil in CH2Cl2, followed by forced N2 drying and thermal curing at 400 degrees C for 30 min produced a cross-linked PDMS layer. Addition of 0.01 to 0.02% Brij 35 to a 0.020 M phosphate buffer gave separations of lysozyme, cytochrome c, RNase, and fluorescein-labeled goat anti-human IgG Fab fragment. Respective plates/m typically obtained at 20 kV (740 V cm(-1)) were 2, 1.5, 1.25, and 9.4-10(5). In 50 mM ionic strength phosphate, 0.01% Brij 35 running buffer, the electroosmotic flow observed was about 25% of that in a bare capillary, and showed no pH dependence between pH 6.3-8.2. Addition of sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) or cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) to this running buffer allowed ready control of electroosmotic mobility, mu(eo). Concentrations of SDS between 0.005 to 0.1% resulted in mu(eo) ranging from 3 to 5 x 10(-4) cm2 V(-1) s(-1). Addition of 1 to 2.3 x 10(-4)% (2.7-6.3 microM) CTAB caused flow reversal. CTAB concentrations between 3.5 x 10(-4) and 0.05% (0.0014-1.37 mM) allowed control of mu(eo) between -1 x 10(-4) and -5.0 x 10(-4) cm2 V(-1) s(-1). For both surfactants the added presence of 0.01% Brij 35 provided slowly varying changes in mu(eo) with charged surfactant concentration.

High-sensitivity determination of the degradation products of chemical warfare agents by capillary electrophoresis-indirect UV absorbance detection

Capillary electrophoresis coupled with indirect UV absorbance detection was employed for the determination of the chemical warfare agent degradation products: methylphosphonic acid, ethyl methylphosphonate, isopropyl methylphosphonate, and pinacolyl methylphosphonate. Glutamic acid was used as a buffering agent at its isoelectric point (pH 3.22). In its zwitterionic form, glutamic acid does not act as a competing co-anion in the system, thus providing buffering capacity while maintaining high sensitivity. The indirect probe (phenylphosphonic acid) concentration was lowered to 1 mM from the 10 mM in previous literature studies, further enhancing sensitivity. Detection limits of 2 microM were achieved with hydrodynamic injection and up to 100-fold lower using electrokinetic injection. The increased buffering capacity of this system over previous methods led to migration time reproducibility RSD values of 0.18 to 0.22%. This represents a 10-fold improvement in reproducibility over previous studies with comparable or improved sensitivity.

New preconditioning strategy for the determination of inorganic anions with capillary zone electrophoresis using indirect UV detection

It is widely accepted that preconditioning procedures are indispensable in capillary electrophoresis in order to achieve reproducibility of migration times and peak areas. Several preconditioning strategies have been employed for electrophoretic determinations of inorganic anions using indirect UV detection including simple flushing with buffer or alkaline or acid pre-rinsing followed by flushing with electrolyte. We investigated the influence of various preconditioning strategies on the reproducibility of migration times and peak areas of inorganic anions. The electrolyte systems for indirect UV detection were based on pyromellitic acid and chromic acid respectively as UV absorbing probes and hexamethonium hydroxide as electroosmatic flow modifier. Preconditioning agents under investigation were electrolyte buffer, NaOH, HCl and the free acids of the UV absorbing probes. Investigations showed that reproducibility of migration times and peak areas can be significantly improved by acid pre-rinsing using the corresponding acid of the UV absorbing probes compared to preconditioning by flushing the capillary with buffer. In contrast to acid pre-rinsing using hydrochloric acid no interfering signals within the migration time window of inorganic anions under investigation can be observed. The optimized preconditioning procedure yields relative standard deviations of migration times less than 0.25% (n = 10). Relative standard deviations of corrected peak areas were below 5% applying acid preconditioning using pyromellitic acid.

Recent developments in the separation of inorganic and small organic ions by capillary electrophoresis

Which method should I use for ion analysis, ion chromatography (IC) or capillary electrophoresis (CE)? In terms of actual theoretical plates CE has a clear-cut advantage. The separation ability of IC is adequate for many sample types, and many separation scientists feel that IC offers greater reliability and confidence than CE. However, IC is a more mature technique and there has been more time to solve problems such as peak tailing and to improve reproducibility. The two techniques should be viewed as complementary. A number of recent developments in ion analysis by CE are discussed. These include some simple ways to control electroosmotic flow and improve reproducibility, separation of isotopes, improved methods of indirect photometric detection, a new contactless conductivity detector, separation of ions at low pH, and in solutions of high salt content. Progress in a new technique called IC-CE will be described in which a soluble ion-exchange polymer is added to the capillary electrolyte to separate anions based on differences in both electrophoretic mobility and ion-exchange interactions.

Dual-opposite injection electrokinetic chromatography for the unbiased, simultaneous separation of cationic and anionic compounds

The concept of dual opposite injection in capillary electrophoresis (DOI-CE) for the simultaneous separation, under conditions of suppressed electroosmotic flow, of anionic and cationic compounds with no bias in resolution and analysis time, is extended to a higher pH range in a zone electrophoresis mode (DOI-CZE). A new DOI-CE separation mode based on electrokinetic chromatography is also introduced (DOI-EKC). Whereas conventional CZE and DOI-CZE are limited to the separation of charged compounds with different electrophoretic mobilities, DOI-EKC is shown to be capable of separating compounds with the same or similar electrophoretic mobilities. In contrast to conventional EKC with charged pseudostationary phases that often interact too strongly with analytes of opposite charge, the neutral pseudostationary phases appropriate for DOI-EKC are simultaneously compatible with anionic and cationic compounds. This work describes two buffer additives that dynamically suppress electroosmotic flow (EOF) at a higher pH (6.5) than in a previous study (4.4), thus allowing DOI-CZE of several pharmaceutical bases and weakly acidic positional isomers. Several DOI-EKC systems based on nonionic (10 lauryl ether, Brij 35) or zwitterionic (SB-12, CAS U) micelles, or nonionic vesicles (Brij 30) are examined using a six-component test mixture that is difficult to separate by CZE or DOI-CZE. The effect of electromigration dispersion on peak shape and efficiency, and the effect of surfactant concentration on retention, selectivity, and efficiency are described.

Ultrahigh-resolution capillary electrophoretic separation with indirect ultraviolet detection: isotopic separation of [14N]- and [15N]ammonium

Separation of isotopically labeled [14N]/[15N] ammonium was performed with capillary electrophoresis. This ultrahigh-resolution separation was based on mobility counterbalance with precise control of the anodic electroosmotic flow. Mixtures of zwitterionic surfactant (Rewoteric AM CAS U) and cationic surfactant (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) were used as buffer additives to modify the electroosmotic mobility. Indirect ultraviolet detection was used with benzyltributylammonium as the buffer coion. Baseline-resolved peaks of [14N]- and [15N]ammonium were obtained within 11 min. The detection limit was 0.01 mM for both [14N]-and [15N]ammonium. Linear calibration in concentration was observed up to 1.0 mM for [15N]ammonium and 2.0 mM for [14N]ammonium. Calibration of the isotopic ratio, [15N]ammonium concentration to total ([14N] and [15N])ammonium, was valid from 5 to 95%.

Highly alkaline electrolyte for single-stranded DNA separations by electrophoresis in bare silica capillaries

A new, highly denaturing electrolyte system based on a solution containing 0.01 M NaOH, 0.0015 M Na2B4O5(OH)4 and a replaceable polymer sieving medium was designed for the separation of single-stranded DNA fragments in bare fused-silica capillaries. Extreme denaturing power, together with the optimized composition of the electrolyte, allows for a separation efficiency as high as 2,300,000 height equivalents to a theoretical plate per meter. Sample denaturation in alkaline solutions provides single-stranded DNA fragments without any intra- or intermolecular interactions at room temperature. Their electrophoretic mobilities were found to be twice those of fragments denatured by dimethylformamide or HCl. This can be interpreted in terms of an increased effective charge on the DNA molecules. The surprisingly weak electroosmosis (6 x 10(-10) m2 V-1 s-1) of polymer solutions at pH 12 or higher is considered to be the result of the dissolution of the silica capillary wall. A highly viscous thin layer of dissolved silica probably causes a shift of the slipping plane further away from the wall to the lower value of the zeta potential. Applications of the electrolyte in clinical diagnostics demonstrate its remarkable properties.

Factors affecting selectivity of inorganic anions in capillary electrophoresis

Capillary zone electrophoretic separations of inorganic anions are largely governed by the intrinsic (infinite dilution) mobility of the anion. This in turn is a function of the hydrodynamic friction caused by the size of the ion and the dielectric friction caused by the charge density of the anion re-orienting the surrounding solvent. The influence of these factors on the mobility of anions is examined in both water and nonaqueous solvents. The influence of other experimental parameters, such as ionic strength, ion association, electroosmotic flow modifier concentration, and the addition of complexing agents such as polymeric cations, cyclodextrins, crown ethers and cryptands are also reviewed. From this discussion, some rules of thumb as to when different approaches will be most effective are drawn.

Determination of inorganic ions in food and beverages by capillary electrophoresis

A review of the applications of electrophoresis to the determination of inorganic anions (sulphate, sulphite, phosphate, nitrate, nitrite and halides) and inorganic cations (ammonium, alkali and alkaline metals and trace elements) in food and beverages is presented.