Effect of electric field on liquid chromatographic separation of peptide digests. Combining capillary separation techniques

Flow splitting at the inlet electrode as a method for decreasing the electric current in electric field assisted liquid chromatography

The combination of pressurized flow and electric field offers, with the use of capillary columns, several options for retention control. However, it has been shown that the utility of this technique is strongly limited by the high electric current that is generated at the high electric field strengths that are needed. We have earlier shown that the high current is a result of locally increased mobile phase ion concentration in the electric field, particularly around the inlet electrode. In this paper, we report that by splitting the mobile phase flow around the inlet electrode a relatively constant ion concentration around the electrode can be obtained and the high currents are there by reduced.

Theoretical and nomenclatural considerations of capillary electrochromatography with monolithic stationary phases

During the past decade, CEC has been one of the few novel achievements in the field of separation science attracting a wide interest. The technology progress permitted the realization of the long-sought idea to employ an electroosmotically driven flow through the columns improving the separations in terms of both resolution and efficiency. The early practical obstacles related to the use of conventional bead-packed columns have been solved by the introduction of continuous beds, also known as monoliths. Hitherto, various synthesis approaches have been successfully developed producing monolithic beds in situ in capillary columns, sharing similar physical structure built up of tiny particles (in the sub-microm range) that are covalently linked together and to the capillary wall. Parallel with the practical column technology studies, the theory of electrochromatography has been continuously developed, focusing on such basic issues as EOF characterization, separation efficiency, and peak dispersion effects. This review provides a short introduction to the theory of CEC with special attention to monolithic separation beds. The paper also summarizes the latest achievements in CEC and discusses the nomenclature, EOF characteristics, and some specific advantages of monolithic column technology.

Simultaneous analysis of cationic, anionic, and neutral compounds using monolithic CEC columns

A new capillary electrochromatography (CEC) column for the simultaneous analysis of cationic, neutral, and anionic compounds using CEC-ESI-MS is described. Three different silica monolith columns were prepared by changing the poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) contents for comparison of the separation property of these columns. Different separation programs were used for the simultaneous separation of different charged compounds under the same conditions. The column prepared with 80 mg of PEG separated typical compounds within 15 min using 1 M formic acid as the electrolyte. The analytes migrated in the order of cationic, neutral, and anionic compounds, which means that the migration order was mainly determined by the electrophoresis. The hydrodynamic flow by pressure from the inlet side was significant for a stable analysis to be achieved. The effect of the composition of the sheath liquid was also examined. All analytes (14 amino acids, thiourea, urea, citric acid, and ATP) were detectable when 1% acetic acid in 50% (v/v) methanol was used as the sheath liquid.

Advances in the analysis of proteins and peptides by capillary electrophoresis with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization and electrospray-mass spectrometry detection

High throughput, outstanding certainty in peptide/protein identification, exceptional resolution, and quantitative information are essential pillars in proteome research. Capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) has proven to meet these requirements. Soft ionization techniques, such as matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) and electrospray ionization (ESI), have paved the way for the story of success of CE-MS in the analysis of biomolecules and both approaches are subject of discussion in this article. Meanwhile, CE-MS is far away from representing a homogeneous field. Therefore the review will cover a vast area including the coupling of different modes of CE (capillary zone electrophoresis, capillary isoelectric foscusing, capillary electrochromatography, micellar electrokinetic chromatography, nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis) to MS as well as on-line preconcentration techniques (transient capillary isotachophoresis, solid-phase extraction, membrane preconcentration) applied to compensate for restricted detection sensitivity. Special attention is given to improvements in interfacing, namely addressing nanospray and coaxial sheath liquid design. Peptide mapping, collision-induced dissociation with subsequent tandem MS, and amendments in mass accuracy of instruments improve information validity gained from MS data. With 2-D on-line coupling of liquid chromatography (LC) and CE a further topic will be discussed. A special section is dedicated to recent attempts in establishing CE-ESI-MS in proteomics, in the clinical and diagnostic field, and in the food sector.

Review coupling of capillary electrochromatography to mass spectrometry

This review discusses the development of capillary electrochromatography (CEC) coupled to mass spectrometric (MS) detection over the last few years. Major topics addressed are instrumental setups employed and applications of this technology published in the recent literature. The instrumental section includes a discussion of the most commonly used interfaces for the hyphenation of CEC and MS as well as ionization techniques. Applications reviewed in this paper come from a variety of different fields such as the analysis of biomolecules like proteins, peptides, amino acids or carbohydrates, chiral separations or the analysis of pharmaceutical an their metabolites in a series of matrices.

Controlling the retention in capillary LC with solvents, temperature, and electric fields

Once a suitable stationary phase and column dimensions have been selected, the retention in liquid chromatography (LC) is traditionally adjusted by controlling the mobile phase composition. Solvent gradients enable achievement of good separation selectivity while decreasing the separation time as compared to isocratic elution. Capillary columns allow use of other programming parameters, i.e. temperature and applied electric fields, in addition to solvent gradient elution. This paper presents a review of programmed separation techniques in miniaturized LC, including retention modeling and method transfer from the conventional to micro- and capillary scales. The impact of miniaturized instrumentation on retention and the limitations of capillary LC are discussed. Special attention is focused on the gradient dwell volume effects, which are more important in micro-LC techniques than in conventional analytical LC and may cause significant increase in the time of analysis, unless special instrumentation and (or) pre-column flow-splitting is used. The influence of temperature upon retention is also discussed, and applications where the temperature has been actively used for retention control in capillary LC are included together with the instrumentation utilized. Finally the possibilities of additional selectivity control by applying an electric field over a packed capillary LC column are discussed.

Retention behaviour of peptides in capillary electrochromatography using an embedded ammonium in dodecacyl stationary phase

The potential of a silica stationary phase bearing an embedded cationic quaternary amine in dodecacyl chain, to separate peptides by capillary electrochromatography (CEC) has been evaluated. The ability of this stationary phase, to generate a consistent anodic electroosmotic flow was first evaluated. This flow was found to be independent of pH over a wide range (2-12), of the acetonitrile percentage in the electrolyte. The stability of the stationary phase evaluated through the electroosmotic flow variations was demonstrated at extreme pH values (2.5 and 9.1). A careful examination of the influence of mobile phase conditions (acetonitrile percentage, salt concentration and nature of buffer) on the electrochromatographic retention and electrophoretic migration behaviour of different standard peptides was carried out. In acidic conditions, the electrokinetic contribution appears to be predominant compared to the chromatographic one. Several types of chromatographic interactions, reversed-phase partitioning and anion exchange, were involved in the CEC of peptides, whereas repulsive electrostatic interaction could be considered as negligible. This stationary phase affords different selectivity compared to that observed on a C18 stationary phase. Finally, the method was applied to the peptide mapping of beta-lactoglobulin and human growth hormone under unpressurized and isocratic elution.

Capillary electrochromatography of peptides and proteins

This review surveys the accomplishments in the separation of peptides and proteins by capillary electrochromatography (CEC) over the last decade. A significant number of research articles have been published on this topic since the last review. Peptide and proteins separations have been carried out in all three formats of CEC, i.e., packed bed, continuous bed and open-tubular (OT) format. In addition to electrophoresis, different chromatographic modes have been successfully exploited with the most prevalent being reversed-phase mode followed by ion-exchange. Although many researchers continue to use model proteins and peptides primarily to evaluate the performance of novel stationary phases some researchers have also applied CEC to the analysis of real-life samples. The potential of CEC to yield complementary information and sometimes a superior separation with respect to established techniques, i.e., microbore HPLC and capillary electrophoresis has been demonstrated. Instrumental modifications in order to facilitate coupling of CEC to mass spectrometry have further upgraded the value of CEC for proteomic analysis. Capillaries are still the separation vehicle of choice for most researchers yet the microfluidic platform is gaining momentum, propelled particularly by its potential for multitasking, e.g., performing different chromatographic modes in series.

Deviation from Ohm’s law in electric field assisted capillary liquid chromatography

Earlier studies of electric field assisted LC (EF-LC) have shown that the effect on charged analytes of the application of an electric field over a capillary LC column is relatively small. Charged analytes can only be affected by the electric field while present in the mobile phase, which makes the effective time for influence of the electric field t(0) independent of retention time. Because the charged analytes only can be affected for a short time the electric field strength ought to be high in order to increase the impact of the electric field on the separation. We have, however, found that only a relatively low electric field strength can be used in EF-LC when pressure is used as main driving force. The useful field strength was limited by a dramatic increase in the current. This increase in current was found to origin from an increased concentration of buffer ions that have an electrophoretic mobility towards the pumped flow.

Automated microgradient system for capillary electrochromatography

A microprocessor controlled gradient elution system suitable for capillary electrochromatography has been developed and tested. It is based on a liquid handling device described previously which is capable of liquid transport with both low and high fluid dispersion. The low dispersion region formed by stainless steel needle 250 microm I.D. serves for sample injection, while the high dispersion region, created by steep extension of tube diameter, is used for continuous mobile phase gradient generation. A homologous series of seven alkylphenones was electrochromatographically separated on a monolithic polyacrylic column under gradient conditions. An S-shaped acetonitrile gradient (30-70%) was applied. A high reproducibility of retention times (RSD about 0.1%) was obtained, indicating accuracy of automated gradient operations.

Application of CEC procedures for the analysis of synthetic peptides: characterization of linear immunogenic peptides that mimic a HIV-1 gp120 epitope

In this study, we describe the application of a new analytical procedure based on capillary electrochromatographic(CEC) techniques for the characterization of different basic and acidic peptides using isocratic eluent conditions containing acetonitrile and ammonium acetate buffers of different molarities between pH 3.8 and 5.2. In particular,10 immunogenic peptide analogs with isoelectric points ranging from 3.7 to 10.1 were investigated; nine of these peptides, 1-9, were truncated analogs of the parent peptide, 10, which is a peptidomimetic related to a HIV-1 gp120 epitope. Several of these peptides have the propensity to form alpha-helical secondary structures in solution. Electrochromatographic separations of these peptides were achieved with packed fused silica capillaries(25 cm packed length, 100 microm i.d.) containing 3 microm n-octadecylsilica particles. The influence of temperature on the CEC elution behavior of these peptides, as well as the impact of changes in the eluent composition, e.g. pH, buffer concentration and acetonitrile content, were examined. The results confirm that improvements in the resolution and analysis of synthetic peptides by CEC procedures result from the increase inelectroosmotic flow (EOF) as the temperature is increased. These findings emphasize the dominant influence of the temperature-dependent viscosity parameter, eta, on the EOF and thus on peptide resolution in CEC. Moreover, these investigations have shown that eluent properties can be specifically chosen to favor either electrophoretic mobility or chromatographic retention, with the overall CEC selectivity peptides of different sequence or composition reflecting the summated contributions from both separation mechanisms. Over the pH range 4.0-5.0, and using eluents with ionic strengths ranging from 6.2 to 15 mM ammonium acetate but containing a fixed volume fraction, psi, of acetonitrile above psi = 0.40, the CEC retention behavior of peptides 1-10 correlated with a linear relationship linking the retention coefficient, kappta(cec), and the differential frictional size-to-mass ratio parameter, Xi(fric), of these peptides. However, using eluents with a low acetonitrile content and low pH values, linear correlations were also observed between the incremental retention coefficient, Delta(Kappa)cec, and the product term [-0.66(Delta(Sigma[Xn]) log(Mi/Mj)], which links the difference in intrinsic hydrophobicities and molecular masses of two peptides, Pi and Pj. This study thus demonstrates the power of CEC procedures in the analysis of synthetic bioactive peptides and provides a general experimental framework to evaluate,using CEC procedures, the influence of the key molecular attributes of peptides on their structure-retention dependencies.Finally, these studies provide additional, practical insights into the use of CEC procedures for the analysis, resolution and biophysical characterization of closely related peptide analogs derived from solid-state peptide synthesis under conditions of different eluent composition or temperature.

Determination of low thiourea concentrations in industrial process water and natural samples using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

A rapid LC method was developed to determine thiourea in natural samples and freshly prepared as well as used tin-baths from the galvanic industry, with LC on a C18-bonded silica column and with doubly distilled water as eluent. The retention time of thiourea is 1.35 min +/- 5%. UV detection is at 236 nm. Small sample volumes of 10-50 microl allow detection down to 2 microg/l thiourea without any interference by heavy metals or organic compounds and in the case of marine samples by mineral salts. The presented technique should be highly useful for industrial purposes.

Capillary electrochromatography analysis of hormonal cyclic and linear peptides

The retention behavior of linear and cyclic peptides has been studied by capillary electrochromatography (CEC) with a variety of different n-alkyl silica reversed-phase sorbents and also with mixed-mode phases containing both strong cation-exchange (sulfonic acid) and n-alkyl groups bonded onto the silica surface, using eluents ranging from pH 2.0 to pH 5.0. Depending upon the amino acid sequence, electrochromatographic retention of the peptides was strongly affected by the composition of the eluent, its pH value, and the choice of sorbent packed into the capillaries. The dominant separation processes operating with these charged analytes could be modulated inter alia by the content of organic modifier, acetonitrile, in the eluent, with peptide resolution predominantly arising from electrophoretic migration processes at high acetonitrile content. As the concentration of acetonitrile was decreased, chromatographic retention processes became more pronounced. With the n-alkyl silica CEC columns used in this study, silanophilic interactions between the sorbents and the charged peptides could be suppressed by increasing the molarity of the buffer and by adjusting the pH of the eluent to lower values. On the other hand, electrostatic interactions between basic peptides and the surface of strong cation-exchanger, mixed-mode materials can be suppressed at low pH values by using higher ionic strength conditions in the eluent. Different selectivity behavior was achieved with desmopressin and the other peptides with Spherisorb C18/SCX and Hypersil mixed-mode materials when an identical eluent composition of 60% (v/v) acetonitrile with 7.6 mM triethylammonium phosphate, pH 3.0, was used. These findings confirm that the surface charge density of the sorbent fulfills an important role in the modulation of peptide selectivity in CEC. These studies also confirm that the dependency of the logarithm of the CEC retention coefficients, i.e., log Kcec, of a peptide separated with n-octadecyl silica sorbents under CEC conditions, on the volume fraction, psi, of the organic solvent modifier, acetonitrile, within the range of 0.20 < or = psi < or = 0.60, can be approximated by a linear relationship. Moreover, these studies show that the selectivity differences of peptides separated by CEC with nonpolar sorbents in packed capillary systems can be discussed in terms of semiempirical dependencies that link peptide retention behavior with their molecular descriptor properties, e.g., their hydrophobicity, surface charge anisotropy, surface area, molecular mass and intrinsic charge, and thus to their corresponding linear free energy relationships.

Peptide analysis by rapid, orthogonal technologies with high separation selectivities and sensitivities

This article examines the current status of peptide analysis by orthogonal micro-/nano-separation strategies, with emphasis on the complementary use of high performance capillary liquid chromatography (micro-HPLC), capillary zonal electrophoresis (HPCZE), open tubular capillary electrochromatography (ot -CEC) and packed capillary electrochromatography (p -CEC). The ability to interface these techniques with mass spectroscopic (MS) procedures has enabled substantial progress to be made in the analysis of very small quantities of peptides, as well as proteins and other bio-macromolecules. As a consequence, the staged application of these high resolution techniques as part of the standardisation of biological products via robust, sensitive protocols is rapidly becoming a reality. Recent conceptual and theoretical advances have also allowed improved levels of prediction and optimisation of these procedures. Since significant differences in selectivity can be achieved with micro-HPLC, HPCZE and HPCEC respectively, collectively these sophisticated techniques provide unprecedented opportunities for the rapid, orthogonal and sensitive separation of complex mixtures of peptides and proteins. Several advantages of using these technologies in tandem are highlighted.

Reversed-phase electrochromatography of amino acids and peptides using porous polymer monoliths

Efficient and rapid separation of minute levels of amino acids and bioactive peptides is of significant importance in the emerging field of proteomics as well as in the clinical and pharmaceutical arena. We have developed novel UV-initiated acrylate-based porous polymer monoliths as stationary phases for capillary- and chip-electrochromatography of cationic, anionic, and neutral amino acids and peptides, followed by absorbance or laser-induced fluorescence detection. The rigid monoliths are cast-to-shape and are tunable for charge and hydrophobicity. For separations at low pH, monoliths containing quaternary amine moieties were used to achieve high electroosmotic flow, and for high pH separations monoliths with acidic sulfonic acid groups were employed. Efficient and reproducible separations of phenylthiohydantoin-labeled amino acids, native peptides, and amino acids and peptides labeled with naphthalene-2,3-dicarboxaldehyde (NDA) were achieved using both negatively- and positively-charged polymer monoliths in capillaries. Separation efficiencies in the range of 65,000-371,000 plates/m were obtained with capillary electrochromatography. Buffer composition and the degree of column hydrophobicity were studied systematically to optimize separations. The monoliths were also cast in the microchannels of glass chips and electrochromatographic separation followed by laser-induced fluorescence detection of three NDA-labeled bioactive peptides was obtained.

Recent progress in capillary electrochromatography

Capillary electrochromatography (CEC) continues to captivate many separation scientists. A remarkable activity is apparent from the numerous publications in the literature using CEC. A review of the most recent progress in CEC is presented herein, covering an extensive fraction of the literature on CEC published from the year 1997 until the beginning of 2000. Most of the recent developments have concentrated on column technology.

Advances in column technology and instrumentation in capillary electrochromatography

Capillary electrochromatography (CEC) is an emerging technique gaining increased interest. Improvement of instrumentation and column technology will be of prime importance for the further development of this technique and its use in validated methods. In this paper, developments in column technology and instrumentation for CEC are reviewed with emphasis on developments within the last 3 years. Attention is directed to the employment of stationary phases specifically designed for CEC, the use of soft and rigid gels in place of packings, fritless packed capillaries, column dimensions, the optimization of injection and detection parameters, and gradient elution CEC.

Stationary phases for capillary electrochromatography

This review summarizes the variety of stationary phases that have been employed for capillary electrochromatography (CEC) separations. Currently, about 70% of reported CEC research utilizes C18 stationary phases designed for liquid chromatography, but an increasing number of new materials (e.g., ion-exchange phases, sol-gel approaches, organic polymer continuous beds) are under development for use in CEC. Novel aspects of these different materials are discussed including the ability to promote electroosmotic flow, phase selectivity and activity for basic solutes. In addition, new column designs (polymer continuous beds and silica-sol-gel monoliths) are described.

Use of on-line mass spectrometric detection in capillary electrochromatography

Capillary electrochromatography (CEC) is a liquid phase analytical separation technique that is generally carried out with packed capillary columns by electroosmotically driven mobile phase at high electric field strength. The analytes are separated by virtue of the differences in their distribution between the mobile and stationary phases and, if charged in their electrophoretic mobilities as well. It is thus considered a hybrid of liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis and is expected to combine the high peak efficiency of capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with the versatility and loading capacity of HPLC. This review explores the potential use of on-line mass spectrometric detection for CEC. It discusses key design issues that focus on the physical and electrical arrangement of the CEC column with respect to the electrospray orifice inlet. The salient features of the sheathless, sheath flow and liquid junction interfaces that are frequently employed while coupling a CEC column to an electrospray ionization mass spectrometry system are also highlighted. Possible configurations of the CEC column outlet that would obviate the need for pressurizing the capillary column are also presented. While coupling CEC with MS both the nature of the interface and the configuration of the column outlet will determine the optimal arrangement. The review also discusses bandspreading that occurs when a connecting tube is employed to transfer mobile phase from the column outlet to the atmospheric region of the electrospray source with a concomitant loss in sensitivity. Selected examples that highlight the potential of this technique for a wide range of applications are also presented.

Separation and identification of etodolac and its urinary phase I metabolites using capillary electrochromatography and on-line capillary electrochromatography-electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry coupling

Capillary high-performance liquid chromatography (capillary HPLC), pressure-assisted capillary electrochromatography (pCEC) and capillary electrochromatography (CEC) were performed in the same capillary packed with 5 microm octadecylsilica (C18) as stationary phase. These three separation modes were compared from the viewpoint of peak efficiency and separation selectivity in order to critically evaluate the advantages which CEC may offer compared to capillary HPLC for the solution of practical biomedical problems. The separation of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug etodolac (ET, 1) and its phase I metabolites, 6-hydroxy etodolac (6-OH-ET, 2), 7-hydroxy etodolac (7-OH-ET, 3) and 8-(1'-hydroxyethyl) etodolac (8-OH-ET, 4) was selected as an example. Baseline separation of all compounds was achieved in different modes and conditions. The effect of pure electrophoretic separation mechanism on the overall separation selectivity observed in CEC has been shown. A high electroosmotic flow (EOF) was observed in C18 packed capillary even at pH 2.5 in various buffers. Furthermore, these separations were coupled on-line with electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and the parent drug and its metabolites were identified in urine. For the coupling of CEC with ESI-MS a laboratory-made electrophoretic device was used in order to overcome some technical disadvantages of commercial instrumentation.

Capillary electroendoosmotic chromatography of peptides

This review focuses on the current state of peptide separation by capillary electroendoosmotic chromatography (CEC). When carried out under optimised conditions, peptide separation by CEC methods represents an orthogonal and complementary technique to micro-HPLC (micro-HPLC) and high-performance capillary zone electrophoresis (HPCZE). The origin of the selectivity differences that can be achieved with these three separation techniques (CEC, micro-HPLC and HPCZE), respectively are discussed, and the current limits of performance with CEC methods documented. Peptide separations by CEC methods with n-alkyl bonded silicas or mixed-mode phases are also illustrated. The development of different variants of CEC and pressurised CEC (also commonly referred to in the literature as electrically-assisted micro-HPLC) are examined. The potential of coupling CEC systems to mass spectrometers for real-time analyses of peptides or protein digests has been examined. Several future directions for the application of this technique in phenotype/proteomic and zeomic mapping of naturally occurring peptides and proteins are highlighted.

Capillary electrochromatography/nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry for attomole characterization of peptides

The successful coupling of capillary electrochromatography (CEC) to an ion trap mass spectrometer via a nanoelectrospray interface (nESI) is described. Using a conductively coated tip butted to the end of a CEC column, it was possible to obtain a stable spray without any sheath liquid being employed. Selected small peptides were separated with CEC columns (100 microm i.d./25 cm long) packed with 3 microm Hypersil C8 or C18 bonded silica particles with an eluent composed of ammonium acetate/acetonitrile. Peptide mixtures of desmopressin, peptide A, oxytocin, carbetocin and [Met(5)]-enkephalin were detected in the mid-attomole range, which is the lowest amount analyzed using CEC combined with MS detection. It was also observed that sensitivity can be compromised at higher separation voltages. We demonstrate that CEC/nESI-MS, at the current stage of development, represents one of the most sensitive systems for peptide analysis.

Integrated approach to the multidimensional analysis of complex biological samples by microseparation techniques. Analysis of glycoprotein factor associated with cancer cachexia

Microanalytical separation techniques including capillary liquid chromatography, capillary electrophoresis and capillary electrochromatography are suitable for detection of diagnostically important changes in the metabolic profiles of biological fluids. A prototype instrument was employed to serve as an integrated platform for the analysis of urine sample from patients suffering from cancer cachexia. The instrument provides for convenient, rapid and efficient multidimensional approach towards method development which would facilitate simultaneous analysis of complex biological mixtures by the above techniques.

Overview of capillary electrophoresis and capillary electrochromatography

This paper provides an overview on the current status of capillary electrophoresis (CE) and capillary electrochromatography (CEC). The focus is largely on the current application areas of CE where routine methods are now in place. These application areas include the analysis of DNA, clinical and forensic samples, carbohydrates, inorganic anions and metal ions, pharmaceuticals, enantiomeric species and proteins and peptides. More specific areas such the determination of physical properties, microchip CE and instrumentation developments are also covered. The application, advantages and limitations of CEC are covered. Recent review articles and textbooks are frequently cited to provide readers with a source of information regarding pioneering work and theoretical treatments.