Widening of the elution window in micellar electrokinetic chromatography with cationic surfactants

Separation of very hydrophobic analytes by micellar electrokinetic chromatography. III. Characterization and optimization of the composition of the separation electrolyte using carbon number equivalents

Four coefficients are suggested to characterize the separation properties of separation electrolytes in MEKC. These coefficients are the electrophoretic mobility of the pseudostationary phase (PSP), the electroosmotic mobility, and two parameters which can be obtained via the Martin equation using the retention data of the members of a suitable homologous series. These four coefficients are used for the characterization of separation electrolytes applicable to the separation of very hydrophobic analytes (log P(OW) = 3-4) with SDS as PSP and to quantitatively describe the influence of the buffer additives ACN and urea for the fine-tuning of retention factors and the additive calcium chloride for the fine-tuning of the width of the migration time window. Together with carbon number equivalents (N*(C)) as analyte descriptors the suggested coefficients provide a tool for the fast optimization of the composition of the separation electrolyte. The proposed method optimization scheme is applied to the separation of ingredients of essential oils. Predicted resolutions are compared to experimental results.

Determination and regulation of the migration window in electrokinetic chromatography

The determination of the velocities of the mobile and the pseudostationary phases (the migration (time) window) is mandatory for the determination of physicochemical properties by electrokinetic chromatography (EKC). This review offers a detailed discussion on the definition, the importance, the determination and the regulation of the migration (time) window in EKC. An overview on the theoretical treatment of chromatographic processes in EKC is given defining EKC in comparison to the term capillary electrophoresis. Methods to determine and influence the migration window are discussed with emphasis on measures that have been taken to modify the electroosmotic flow velocity. Pseudostationary phases (or separation carriers) that are taken into consideration are anionic and cationic micelles, mixed micelles, microdroplets (microemulsions), polymeric pseudostationary phases and dendrimers.

Migration of (hydroxy)carboxylic acids in coelectroosmotic capillary electrophoresis. Influence of the electrolyte composition

This work focused on the way several electrolyte components could affect the electroosmotic flow and the capillary electrophoretic migration of aliphatic or aromatic (hydroxy)carboxylic acids. The effects exerted by the electroosmotic flow modifier, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, the addition of metal salt to the electrolyte and the absorbance provider (chromophore) used for indirect detection were investigated. A retention of the organic acids was demonstrated. Its magnitude was shown to depend on the amount of cationic surfactant adsorbed onto the capillary walls. The addition of sodium nitrate led to a remobilization of all the acids except glycolic acid. Moreover, the presence of the chromophore was shown to influence mainly the migration of the glycolic acid.

Towards a general approach for the impurity profiling of drugs by micellar electrokinetic chromatography

A general micellar electrokinetic chromatographic (MEKC) strategy for the impurity profiling of drugs was developed involving a sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and a cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) MEKC system. With this combination, in principle, each sample component passes the detector in at least one of the two MEKC systems provided that separation buffers of the same pH are used in both systems. In order to select the proper MEKC systems, the electroosmotic flow (EOF) and micelle migration time (t(mc)) were determined for separation buffers of several pH values, containing various amounts of surfactant and organic modifier. The selectivity of the MEKC systems was studied using a mixture of compounds with a wide range of physico-chemical properties. The final selection of two adequate MEKC systems for this approach was based on the requirements that the t(mc) (i.e., analysis time) of both systems was below 20 min and that the t(mc)/t(eof) ratio was above 3 or 2 for the SDS and CTAB system, respectively. Furthermore, the systems should provide high efficiency, exhibit differences in selectivity and use moderate concentrations of modifier and surfactant, so that, if needed, further optimization is possible. The selected MEKC systems contained 60 mM SDS or 10 mM CTAB, respectively, in a phosphate buffer (pH 7.5) with 10% acetonitrile. Some test compounds with extreme mobilities were used to demonstrate the suitability of the MEKC approach to detect each component of a sample. The potential of the proposed MEKC combination for impurity profiling was demonstrated by the analysis of fluvoxamine with several impurities at the 0.1% level.

Comparison of separation selectivity in capillary electrokinetic chromatography using a cationic linear polymeric pseudo-stationary phase or monomeric additives of similar structure

The retention properties in electrically driven systems with monomeric additives were compared to an electrokinetic chromatographic system with a linear, charged polymer of similar chemical structure (all additives are quaternary tetraalkyl ammonium ions). The monomeric additives were tetramethylammonium (TMA), tetraethylammonium (TEA) and dimethylpyrrolidinium (DMP), respectively, the polymeric additive was poly(diallyldimethyl)ammonium (PDADMA). The additive concentration in the background electrolyte was 2 and 4% (w/w). The retention characteristics were based on the apparent mobilities of 10 non-charged analytes with different chemical functionality, which were transported by the anodic electroosmotic flow in the dynamically coated capillary, and retained by the counter-flowing cationic additives. From these data capacity factors were derived, which ranged up to 0.8. Association constants were calculated, and were found between 10 and 170. Roughly, the association constants increased for a given analyte in the sequence TMA<TEA<DMP< PDADMA. However, changes in the retention order were observed for some cases, reflecting the different selectivity of the particular systems for certain pairs of analytes. A general advantage of polymeric pseudo-stationary phases compared to monomeric additives is given by the negligible reduction of the mobility of the analyte-polymer associate in relation to the free additive ion, resulting in a broader retention window under most practical conditions.

Widening of the elution window in micellar electrokinetic chromatography with cationic surfactants. II. Cationic additives and modifiers of the electroosmotic flow

In micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) with cationic surfactants the migration window is significantly narrower than with anionic surfactants. In order to overcome this disadvantage of cationic surfactants, it is investigated whether it is possible to widen the migration window by reducing the velocity of the aqueous phase while the electrophoretic mobility of the micelles is maintained. Short chain alkylammonium compounds, hexamethonium bromide and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose are tested as additives to the separation electrolyte with the potential to improve the migration window via reducing the velocity of the electroosmotic flow. It will be shown that these modifiers can be successfully used in order to widen the migration window in MEKC with cationic surfactant employing an alkyltrimethylammonium bromide as micelle forming agents. Influence of the modifiers selected on retention of neutral and acidic solutes and on efficiency of the separation system is investigated.