On-column trace enrichment by sequential frontal and elution electrochromatography: II. Enhancement of sensitivity by segmented capillaries with z-cell configuration—application to the detection of dilute samples of moderately polar and nonpolar pesticides

Abstract

An on-column trace enrichment method for capillary electrochromatography of dilute samples is described. It involves the sequential use of frontal and elution electrochromatography on a segmented capillary column comprising of two contiguous segments each packed with a different sorbent. While the entering segment is for preconcentration by frontal electrochromatography the second segment is much longer and is meant for separation of the enriched analytes in the subsequent elution electrochromatography step. The preconcentration segment is usually packed with a sorbent that affords the highest affinity towards the solutes of interest while the separation segment is packed with a stationary phase that exhibits the highest selectivity and separation efficiency for the analytes. The detection is performed in the UV using a z-cell configuration for achieving an increased path length for detection. The effectiveness of this on-column trace enrichment is demonstrated on dilute samples of moderately polar solutes (e.g., carbamate insecticides) and nonpolar solutes (e.g., pyrethroid insecticides). Under optimal frontal and elution electrochromatography conditions, 817- and 1100-fold sensitivity increase are achieved for permethrin (a pyrethroid insecticide) and methiocarb (a carbamate insecticide), respectively, with a UV detector. The method is demonstrated with real water samples (e.g., tap and lake water samples) spiked with carbamate and pyrethroid insecticides. The limits of detection for the pesticides achieved in tap and lake waters reached 10 −8 to 10 −9 M.