Contactless conductivity detection for capillary zone electrophoresis and micellar electrokinetic chromatography

Author(s)

José Alberto Fracassi da Silva

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Conjunto das Químicas (IQ e FCF) (CQ/DBDCQ)
• Defense date: 2001-03-19

Examining board members

Claudimir Lucio do Lago; Emanuel Carrilho; Ivano Gebhardt Rolf Gutz; Celio Pasquini; Marina Franco Maggi Tavares

• Advisor: Claudimir Lucio do Lago

Abstract

This work describes the construction and evaluation of a contactless conductometric (or oscillometric) detector, for its application in capillary zone electrophoresis and micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC). The materials and methods used for the construction of the electrodes, as well as the improvements on the electronic circuit, were evaluated. The behavior and performance of the detector were studied by changing the parameters that affect its response, e. g., the frequency and amplitude of the input signal, temperature and solution conductivity. The simulation of the cell equivalent electric circuit helped to understand the detector properties related to the variations in the solution conductivity, frequency, and cell dimensions. The optimization of the parameters was conducted by the formulation of analytical equations that describe the response factor using experimental data. For the detection development, two complete capillary electrophoresis equipments were constructed. Pressure, gravity, and electrokinetic sample injection systems were developed. One of the equipments allows the sample injection on the grounded side of the capillary. Consequently, the detector is placed near the high voltage application point. This is the first electrochemical detector described for capillary electrophoresis with this characteristic. The capillary thermostating was made by passing a forced air stream. Both equipments were interfaced to microcomputers. The capillary electrophoresis equipments with oscillometric detection were applied to the analysis of many types of compounds in different matrices, such as organic and inorganic ions in rainwater and particulate material, fatty acids in cocoa oil, formaldehyde in the atmosphere and, for the first time, neutral species, like aliphatic alcohols, separated by MEKC. (AU)