Carbon nanotubes as analytical tools in capillary electromigration methods

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted significant attention from scientists since their discovery due to their unique properties that has led them to be used in significant applications in many fields, including Analytical Chemistry. Indeed CNTs possess useful features that can be advantageous in simplifying and improving the analytical process. The ability of this nanomaterial to interact with analytes through different types of interaction i.e. π–π stacking, van der Walls forces and hydrogen bonding, combined with their large surface area can facilitate the adsorption of analytes in a selective and reproducible manner. These properties enable the development of sorbents used for sample preparation as well as obtaining stationary (SP) or pseudostationary phases (PSP) for analytical separations on gas chromatography (GC), liquid chromatography (LC) and capillary electrophoresis (CE). On the other hand, their electronic properties have contributed to a large extent to the design of novel nanostructured electrochemical sensors and biosensors of improved analytical performance when compared with conventional non-nanostructured electrochemical systems. The aim of the present paper is to provide an up-to-date overview and critical discussion of the integration of these CNTs-based strategies in analytical processes based on the electrophoretic separations employed so far, both conventional CE and microchip electrophoresis (ME).