Capillary batch injection analysis and capillary flow injection analysis with electrochemical detection: a comparative study of both methods

Capillary batch injection analysis (CBIA) and capillary flow injection analysis (CFIA) in combination with electrochemical detection as well as optical detection methods were studied and compared with respect to their performance. Despite the differences in technical equipment both techniques share the same idea of reproducible transport and washout of nanolitre samples over sensing surfaces. Thus the same electrochemical flow cell can be used for both CBIA and CFIA. The amperometric and potentiometric CBIA responses were studied under various experimental conditions in order to optimise the CBIA set-up. In particular, the density of the sample solution relative to that of the cell electrolyte had a remarkable effect on the hydrodynamic characteristics of CBIA. Dispersion in CFIA was investigated using on column UV-detection for electroosmotic flow (EOF) conditions as well as for gravity flow conditions. It is demonstrated for a 75 μm capillary that the relative band broadening of the sample plug under gravity flow is only about twice as large as under EOF. Furthermore, dispersion in a system that involves a chemical reaction between the sample and the carrier solution, namely CrO₇ ^2– and Fe²⁺ has been investigated by amperometric detection and exploited for the determination of dichromate microsamples.