Chapter 7 - Capillary Electrochromatography

Abstract

This chapter reviews capillary electrochromatography (CEC) and defines that retention in CEC is based on the solute partitioning between the mobile and stationary phases. It also elaborates the three major classes of CEC: open tubular, packed capillary, and CEC with replaceable media. In open tabular, the use of a capillary coated with a stationary phase was reported in 1982. The immediate advantage of the open tubular format is the relative ease of manufacture of the capillaries. Well-understood surface chemistries can be applied and frits are unnecessary. Difficulties in packing small diameter capillaries are avoided. Bubble formation, a problem with packed capillaries, does not occur. In CEC with replaceable media, a pumpable entangled polymer solution has been used for the separation of neutral solutes using conventional High performance capillary electrophoresis instrumentation. The polymer is composed of 40% ethyl acrylate, 50% methacrylic acid, and 10% lauryl methacrylate.