A CE‐LIF method based on long wavelength fluorescence labeling for the analysis of thiols in human urine

A rapid and robust CE method using a long wavelength fluorescent reagent 1,7‐dimethyl‐3,5‐distyryl‐8‐phenyl‐(2‐maleimide)difluoroboradiaza‐s‐indacene as the labeling reagent has been developed for the simultaneous determination of thiols, including glutathione, cysteine, homocysteine, N‐acetylcysteine, cysteinylglycine, and penicillamine. The derivatization reaction was carried out in 14 mmol/L pH 8.5 borate buffer at 30°C for 6 min and the labeled thiols derivatives were separated with the running buffer containing 30 mmol/L pH 7.4 phosphate, 30% v/v acetonitrile and 8 mmol/L SDS within 12 min. Detection limits ranged from 0.4 to 2.4 nmol/L. To demonstrate the capability of this method, it was applied to the analysis of thiols in human urine with recoveries of 92.4–105.6%. The derivatization reaction was much faster at milder conditions, and the analysis was rapider. Moreover, with excitation wavelength at long wavelength region, background interference from samples was reduced effectively. The present method seems to be a potential choice for quantifying thiols in human urine.     

Determination of thiol compounds by HPLC and fluorescence detection with 1,3,5,7‐tetramethyl‐8‐bromomethyl‐difluoroboradiaza‐s‐indacene

Altered levels of thiols in biological fluids are considered to be an important indicator for several diseases. In this article, 1,3,5,7‐tetramethyl‐8‐bromomethyl‐difluoroboradiaza‐s‐indacene is proposed as a fluorescent derivatization reagent for the determination of thiols including glutathione, cysteine, N‐acetylcysteine, and homocysteine by HPLC. Under the optimized derivatization and separation conditions, a baseline separation of all the four derivatives has been achieved using isocratic elution on an RP C₈ column within 26 min. With fluorescence detection at 505 and 525 nm for the excitation and emission, respectively, the LODs (S/N = 3) are from 0.2 nM (glutathione) to 0.8 nM (cysteine). The feasibility of this method in real samples has been evaluated by the determination of thiols in human plasma from the healthy persons and hypertensive patients with recoveries of 92–105.3%.     

Determination of thiols by capillary micellar electrokinetic chromatography with laser induced fluorescence detection using 1,3,5,7‐tetramethyl‐8‐phenyl‐(4‐iodoacetamido) difluoroboradiaza‐s‐indacene as labeling reagent

A sensitive and effective micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography with laser‐induced fluorescence detection approach was described for the determination of low molecular‐mass thiols using 1,3,5,7‐tetramethyl‐8‐phenyl‐(4‐iodoacetamido) difluoroboradiaza‐s‐indacene as the labeling reagent. After precolumn derivatization, baseline separation of six thiol compounds including cysteine, glutathione, N‐acetylcysteine, homocysteine, 6‐mercaptopurine, and penicillamine were achieved within 18 min. The optimal running buffer was composed of mixtures involving 25 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate, 25% (v/v) acetonitrile and 15 mM sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.5. The detection limits (S/N = 3) were found as low as 40 pM under argon ion laser‐induced fluorescence detector (λ_ex/λ_em = 488/520 nm), which were much better than the reported approaches. The accuracy and specificity of this assay for real samples were assured by a standard addition method. The proposed method has been applied to the analysis of thiols both in human plasma and plum flower samples with recoveries of 92.0–109.4%.     

Simultaneous determination of total homocysteine,cysteine, glutathione,and N‐acetylcysteine in brain homogenates by HPLC

We have developed a simple, fast, accurate, and cheap method for the simultaneous determination of total cysteine, homocysteine, glutathione, and N‐acetylcysteine in brain homogenates based on the reduction of disulfide bonds by tris(2‐carboxyethyl) phosphine, pre‐column derivatization of free thiol groups with 2‐chloro‐1‐methylquinolinium tetrafluoroborate followed by ion‐pair reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography separation with ultraviolet detection. The separation of thiol derivatives was achieved in 10 min. Linearity was observed in the range of 10–300, 0.7–10, 2–30, and 3–20 μmol/L homogenate with a limit of detection of 3.7, 0.2, 0.8, and 1.2 μmol/L homogenate for cysteine, homocysteine, glutathione, and N‐acetylcysteine, respectively. The precision, calculated as relative standard deviation, was in the range of 1.21–4.77, 1.53–14.35, 0.47–1.92, and 1.61–8.95% for cysteine, homocysteine, glutathione, and N‐acetylcysteine, respectively. The presented method was successfully applied to the selective determination of total amino thiols in pig brain tissue samples.     

Development of a potential method based on microchip electrophoresis with fluorescence detection for the sensitive determination of intracellular thiols in RAW264.7 cells

This paper, for the first time, reported the development of a simple, rapid, and reliable method for the separation and sensitive determination of four thiol compounds including homocysteine, cysteine, glutathione, and N‐acetylcysteine based on glass MCE with fluorescence detection using a highly reactive fluorogenic probe, 1,3,5,7‐tetramethyl‐8‐phenyl‐(2‐maleimide)‐difluoroboradiaza‐s‐indacene (TMPAB‐o‐M), as the labeling reagent. TMPAB‐o‐M reacted selectively with thiols to produce highly fluorescent derivatives and the highest derivatization efficiency was achieved within 6 min in physiological conditions. After the optimization of separation conditions, a baseline separation of the four thiol compounds was achieved with the detection limits ranging from 2 nM for glutathione to 4 nM for cysteine (S/N = 3) and RSDs (n = 5) in the range of 3.2–3.8%. The proposed method was significantly sensitive compared to those using electrochemical or even LIF detection in MCE‐based setup reported previously, and applied to the determination of intracellular thiols in macrophage RAW264.7 cells.     

Capillary electrophoresis‐laser‐induced fluorescence detection of rat brain catecholamines with microwave‐assisted derivatization

In this study, a rapid and sensitive method is described for the catecholamines detection in rat brain. CE with LIF detection for the determination of FITC derivatized catecholamines (dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine) was demonstrated. Conventional water bath and microwave‐assisted derivatization methods were employed and a significant reduction in the derivatization time from 2 h for the conventional water bath at room temperature (ca. 25°C) to 2 min for the microwave‐assisted derivatization was achieved. Online sample concentration of field‐amplified sample stacking (FASS) method was employed to achieve higher sensitivities (the detection limits obtained in the normal injection mode ranged from 2.6 to 4.5 ng L^?1 and in the FASS mode ranged from 22 to 34 pg L^?1). Furthermore, this microwave‐assisted derivatization CE–LIF method successfully determined catecholamines in rat brain with as low as 100 ng L^?1 (FASS mode) to 10 μg L^?1 (normal injection mode). This CE–LIF method provided better detection ability when compared to the best reports on catecholamines analyses.     

Analysis of short‐chain aliphatic amines in food and water samples using a near infrared cyanine 1‐(ε‐succinimydyl‐hexanoate)‐1′‐methyl‐3,3,3′,3′‐tetramethyl‐indocarbocyanine‐5,5′‐disulfonate potassium with CE–LIF detection

Precolumn derivatization of six short‐chain aliphatic amines by a near‐infrared dye, 1‐(ε‐succinimydyl‐hexanoate)‐1′‐methyl‐3,3,3′,3′‐tetramethyl‐indocarbocyanine‐5,5′‐ disulfonate potassium (MeCy5‐OSu), followed by MEKC–CE–LIF detection has been developed as a method for the determination of aliphatic amines in environmental water and food. Optimum derivatization was operated nicely in pH 9.0 borate buffer at 20°C for 30 min. Well separated peaks were observed with a pH 9.5 BGE containing 10 mmol L^?1 phosphoric acid, 20 mmol L^?1 SDS, and 7% methanol buffered with 1.0 mol L^?1 NaOH. The separation procedure was rapidly achieved within 11 min and the matrix interferences could be effectively eliminated. A linear calibration graph was obtained for 5–200 nmol L^?1 analytes with a correlation coefficient in the range 0.9933–0.9995 for amines. This method was successfully utilized to determine aliphatic amines in lake, sewage water, and red wine with recoveries ranging from 96.4 to 105% and the RSDs ranging from 0.9 to 2.9%. Near‐infrared, LIF‐detector‐compatible MeCy5‐OSu was proved suitable for the accurate, sensitive, and rapid separation and determination of aliphatic amines in water and food samples.     

Analysis of N‐acetylaminosugars by CE: A comparative derivatization study

N‐linked or O‐linked glycans derived from glycoprotein processing carry, an N‐acetylglucosamine or an N‐acetylgalactosamine respectively, at their reducing termini. The presence of the N‐acetylamino group on C‐2 of reducing sugar residues has been reported to hamper the derivatization reaction with a chromophore at the anomeric centre. In this paper N‐acetyllactosamine, N‐acetylglucosamine, N‐acetylgalactosamine and several other neutral monosaccharides are coupled to three different dyes (4‐aminobenzonitrile, 2‐aminopyridine, 2‐aminobenzoic acid (2‐AA)) by reductive amination and analysed by CE with UV detection. The 2‐AA derivatives showed the lowest concentration detection limits, varying approximately in the 2–3 μM range for the saccharides tested including the N‐acetamido ones. The possibility to separate and detect with the same sensitivity ten 2‐AA‐labelled monosaccharides mainly found in mammalian or plant glycoproteins in a single CE run is highlighted. The analysis has been carried out in less than 25 min using the borate‐complexation method in CZE mode. The influence of the strength of the acid used as catalyst in the chemical modification of the sugars with 2‐AA is also shortly addressed.     

Analysis of low‐molecular mass aldehydes in drinking waters through capillary electrophoresis with laser‐induced fluorescence detection

The potential of CZE with LIF detection in the separation and determination of low‐molecular mass aldehydes involving precolumn derivatization with fluorescein 5‐thiosemicarbazide was investigated. Different variables that affect derivatization (pH, fluorescein 5‐thiosemicarbazide concentration, time and temperature) and separation (pH and concentration of the BGE, kind and concentration of surfactants at levels higher and lower than CMC, and applied voltage) were studied. The separation was conducted within 16 min by using borate buffer (60 mM; pH 10) with 10 μM polyethylene glycol tert‐octylphenyl ether as modifier. Good linearity relationships (correlation coefficients ranged from 0.9978 to 0.9994 for aldehydes) were obtained between the peak areas and concentration of the analytes (0.5–100 μg/L). The LODs for aldehydes were achieved at submicrogram‐per‐liter level (0.15–0.35 μg/L), which indicated that the proposed method surpassed other electrophoretric alternatives in terms of LOD, in many cases even at ca. 1000‐fold. The inter‐day precision (RSD, %) of the aldehydes ranged from 5.2 to 8.3%. Finally, the method was successfully applied to bottled drinking‐water samples, and the aldehydes were readily detected at 0.6–4.4 μg/L levels with average recoveries ranging from 99.1 to 103.5%.     

Albumin‐bound low molecular weight thiols analysis in plasma and carotid plaques by CE

We describe a new method for the quantification of low molecular weight thiols, as homocysteine, cysteine, cysteinylglycine, glutamylcysteine and glutathione bound to human plasma albumin. After albumin isolation and purification by SDS‐PAGE, thiols were freed from protein with tri‐n‐butylphosphine and successively derivatized with 5‐iodoacetamidofluorescein. Samples were then injected and quantified in about 18 min by CE with laser induced fluorescence detection. Precision tests indicate a good repeatability of the method both for migration times (RSD<0.63%) and areas (RSD<2.98%). The method allows to measure all five low molecular weight thiols released from just 3 μg of albumin thus improving the other described methods in which only three or four thiols were detected. Due to the elevated sensitivity (LOD of 0.3 pM for all thiols), also low molecular weight thiols bound to albumin filtered in tissues could be quantified.     

Determination of neurotransmitter amino acids in mouse central nervous system by CE–LIF

An MEKC method with LIF detection has been developed for the determination of seven neurotransmitter amino acids (NAAs) using 1,3,5,7‐tetramethyl‐8‐(N‐hydroxysuccinimidyl butyric ester)difluoroboradiaza‐S‐indacene as the labeling reagent. After derivatization at room temperature for 30 min, the seven target NAAs including glycine, alanine, γ‐aminobutyric acid, taurine, glutamine, glutamic acid, and aspartic acid were separated in running buffer, which consisted of 70 mM pH 4.00 H₃PO₄/Na₃PO₄ buffer, 5.5 mM cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide and 20% v/v acetonitrile within 17 min. The LODs were 2 ～ 14 × 10^?10 M without interference from other coexisting amino acids. The proposed method has been applied to the analysis of NAAs in the central nervous systems of healthy mice and those with Alzheimer's disease with recoveries of 92–104%.     

Comparative metabolite profiling of carboxylic acids in rat urine by CE‐ESI MS/MS through positively pre‐charged and 2H‐coded derivatization

A new approach to the selective comparative metabolite profiling of carboxylic acids in rat urine was established using CE‐MS and a method for positively pre‐charged and ²H‐coded derivatization. Novel derivatizing reagents, N‐alkyl‐4‐aminomethyl‐pyridinum iodide (alkyl=butyl, butyl‐d9 or hexyl), containing quaternary amine and stable‐isotope atoms (deuterium), were introduced for the derivatization of carboxylic acids. CE separation in positive polarity showed high reproducibility (0.99–1.32% RSD of migration time) and eliminated problems with capillary coating known in CE‐MS anion analyses. Essentially complete ionization and increased hydrophobicity after the derivatization also enhanced MS detection sensitivity (e.g. formic acid was detected at 0.5 pg). Simultaneous derivatization of one sample using two structurally similar reagents, N‐butyl‐4‐aminomethyl‐pyridinum iodide (BAMP) and N‐hexyl‐4‐aminomethyl‐pyridinum iodide, provided additional information for recognizing a carboxylic acid in an unknown sample. Moreover, characteristic fragmentation acquired by online CE‐MS/MS allowed for identification and categorization of carboxylic acids. Applying this method on rat urine, we found 59 ions matching the characteristic patterns of carboxylic acids. From these 59, 32 ions were positively identified and confirmed with standards. For comparative analysis, 24 standard carboxylic acids were derivatized by chemically identical but isotopically distinct BAMP and N‐butyl‐d9‐4‐aminomethyl‐pyridinium iodide, and their derivatization limits and linearity ranges were determined. Comparative analysis was also performed on two individual urine samples derivatized with BAMP and N‐butyl‐d9‐4‐aminomethyl‐pyridinium iodide. The metabolite profiling variation between these two samples was clearly visualized.     

Determination of GABA, glutamate and carbamathione in brain microdialysis samples by capillary electrophoresis with fluorescence detection

Disulfiram has been used as a deterrent in the treatment of alcohol abuse for almost 60 years. Our laboratory has shown that a disulfiram metabolite, S‐(N,N‐diethylcarbamoyl) glutathione (carbamathione), is formed from disulfiram and appears in the brain after the administration of disulfiram. Carbamathione does not inhibit aldehyde dehydrogenase but has been shown to be a partial non‐competitive inhibitor of the N‐methyl‐D ‐aspartic acid glutamate (Glu) receptor. In light of disulfiram's apparent clinical effectiveness in cocaine dependence, and carbamathione's effect on the N‐methyl‐D ‐aspartic acid receptor, the effect of carbamathione on brain Glu and γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) needs to be further examined. A CE‐LIF method based on derivatization with napthalene‐2,3‐dicarboxyaldehyde to simultaneously detect both neurotransmitter amino acids and carbamathione in brain microdialysis samples is described. The separation of Glu, GABA and carbamathione was carried out using a 50 mmol/L boric acid buffer (pH 9.6) on a 75 cm×50 μm id fused‐silica capillary (60 cm effective) at +27.5 kV voltage with a run time of 11 min. The detection limits for Glu, GABA and carbamathione were 6, 10 and 15 nmol/L, respectively. This method was used to monitor carbamathione and the amino acid neurotransmitters in brain microdialysis samples from the nucleus accumbens after the administration of an intravenous dose of the drug (200 mg/kg) and revealed a carbamathione‐induced change in GABA and Glu levels. This method demonstrates a simple, rapid and accurate measurement of two amino acid neurotransmitters and carbamathione for in vivo monitoring in the brain using microdialysis sampling.     

Quantification of γ-aminobutyric acid in the heads of houseflies (Musca domestica) and diamondback moths (Plutella xylostella (L.)), using capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection

A novel method was developed for quantifying the levels of γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the heads of houseflies (Musca domestica) and diamondback moths (Plutella xylostella (L.)), using capillary electrophoresis with laser‐induced fluorescence detection (CE‐LIF). The GABA in sample was derivatized with 4‐chloro‐7‐nitro‐2,1,3‐benzoxadiazole (NBD‐Cl) prior to CE‐LIF analysis. In total, 32 mmol/L borate buffer, at pH 9.2 and containing 5.3 mmol/L β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD) and 10.4 mmol/L sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), was determined to be the optimum CE background electrolyte (BGE) for GABA analysis. The detection limit of GABA was 0.016 μmol/L. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the migration time and peak area of GABA were 1.78 and 4.93%, respectively. The average recoveries of 0.97, 3.88, and 5.83 μmol/L of GABA, each added to the head sample of housefly, ranged from 88.9 to 110.5%. This method is simple and applicable to GABA assays of the heads of insects. With this newly developed CE‐LIF method, the amounts of GABA in the heads of houseflies (M. domestica) and diamondback moths (P. xylostella (L.)) were measured. The results are relevant to the understandings of some insecticides and insecticide‐resistance mechanisms in pests.     

Boron‐chelating fluorescent probe (BOPB) in the red region combined with CE‐LIF for the detection of NO in mice liver

Precise measurement of nitric oxide (NO) is of great importance to understand the function of NO in liver and the mechanism of liver injury. 8‐(3’,4’‐Diamino phenyl)‐3,5‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐dimethylene pyrrole (BOPB), a fluorescent probe in the red region (>600 nm) newly developed in our group, has good photostability and excitation/emission wavelength of 622/643 nm matching well with commercial 635 nm semiconductor laser of CE‐LIF detection. Therefore, BOPB was used in CE‐LIF for the determination of NO in mice liver. Both derivatization and separation conditions were optimized. Derivatization reaction of BOPB and NO was carried out in pH 7.4 PBS buffer at 35°C for 12 min and the separation of NO derivative of BOPB (BOPB‐T) was achieved within 7.0 min in pH 9.0 running buffer containing 15 mM H₃BO₃–NaOH and 15 mM SDS. Good linearity was found in the range of 1.0 × 10^?9–5.0 × 10^?7 M with the LOD of 0.02 nM. The proposed method was applied to the analysis of NO in real samples, and NO concentration was obviously increased in acute liver injury of mice. Compared to existing derivatization‐based CE‐LIF methods for NO, this method has lower LOD and less background interference owing to detection wavelength of BOPB in the red region.     

Distribution of low-density lipoprotein-bound low-molecular-weight thiols: a new analytical approach

We have recently demonstrated that low-density lipoprotein (LDL) apoprotein is able to bind the most concentrated plasma thiols such as cysteine, cysteinylglycine, and homocysteine by disulfide linkage. However, the LIF CE assay employed to measure linked thiols was not sensitive enough to verify whether low concentrated plasma thiols as glutathione and glutamylcysteine are also linked to apoprotein. By modifying sample treatment and electrophoretic parameters we set up a new method with an LOQ of about 1.5 nmol/L, by which we demonstrate that LDL apoprotein binds all physiological plasma thiols. The increased sensitivity was obtained by drying released apoB thiols after reduction treatment, dissolving them directly in a low volume of derivatization buffer and decreasing the dilution factor of derivatized sample before CE injection. Moreover, by increasing the concentration of the electrolyte buffer, we improved the selectivity of peaks, in particular between glutathione (GSH) and the impurity peak derived from unreacted 5-iodoacetamidofluorescein, which in the previous electrophoretic conditions were overlapped. The method optimization, reached by searching the best combination between sample matrix and CE run buffer, is fully described. Given the potential pathologic significance of protein thiolation, the proposed method may be useful to understand the mechanisms and the balances that regulate the interaction between thiols and -SH free groups of proteins.     

Quantification of polyamines in human erythrocytes using a new near-infrared cyanine 1-(epsilon-succinimidyl-hexanoate)-1'-methyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethyl-indocarbocyanine-5,5'-disulfonate potassium with CE-LIF detection

A novel near-infrared (NIR) cyanine 1-(epsilon-succinimidyl-hexanoate)-1'-methyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethyl-indocarbocyanine-5,5'-disulfonate potassium (MeCy5-OSu) has been developed in our laboratory. Simultaneous determination of MeCy5-OSu-derivatized polyamines spermine (Spm), spermidine (Spd), cadaverine (Cad), and putrescine (Put) based on the separation by CE combined with diode LIF detection has been accomplished. The highest derivatization efficiency was achieved in 0.2 mol/L borate buffer (pH 8.8) for 20 min at 25 degrees C. Polyamine derivatives were separated within 14 min in the phosphate running buffer (pH 3) containing 50 mmol/L phosphoric acid, 40 mmol/L SDS, and 35% methanol v/v. Linearity of response was obtained in the range of 10-200 nmol/L. The detection limits (S/N = 3) for Spm, Spd, Cad, and Put were 0.8, 1, 3, and 2 nmol/L, respectively. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the analysis of polyamines in erythrocytes of two healthy persons and one cancer patient. Average recoveries for erythrocyte samples were 93.6-106% and coefficients of variation ranged from 1.8 to 5.4%. The analysis of polyamines in erythrocytes can be used for studying the relationship between their changes and the carcinogenesis process involved in erythrocytes.     

Determination of malachite green in fish water samples by cloud‐point extraction coupled to cation‐selective exhaustive injection and sweeping‐MEKC

We have employed a high‐sensitivity off‐line coupled with on‐line preconcentration method, cloud‐point extraction (CPE)/cation‐selective exhaustive injection (CSEI) and sweeping‐MEKC, for the analysis of malachite green. The variables that affect CPE were investigated. The optimal conditions were 250 g/L of Triton X‐100, 10% of Na₂SO₄ (w/v), heat‐assisted at 60°C for 20 min. We monitored the effects of several of the CSEI‐sweeping‐MEKC parameters – including the type of BGE, the concentrations of SDS, the injection length of the high‐conductivity buffer, and the injection time of the sample – to optimize the separation process. The optimal BGE was 50 mM citric acid (pH 2.2) containing 100 mM SDS. In addition, electrokinetic injection of the sample at 15 kV for 800 s provided both high separation efficiency and enhanced sweeping sensitivity. The sensitivity enhancement for malachite green was 1.9×10⁴ relative to CZE; the coefficients of determination exceeded 0.9928. The LOD, based on an S/N of 3:1, of CSEI‐sweeping‐MEKC was 0.87 ng/mL; in contrast, when using off‐line CPE/CSEI‐sweeping‐MEKC the sensitivity increased to 69.6 pg/mL. This proposed method was successfully applied to determine trace amounts of malachite green in fish water samples.     

Capillary electrophoresis and phenylboronic acid solid phase extraction for the determination of S‐adenosylmethionine/S‐adenosylhomocysteine ratio in human urine

An approach that allows direct analysis of the ratio of S‐adenosylmethionine (SAM) and S‐adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) by using CE is presented. The analytes were extracted on phenylboronic acid phase and eluted with 100 mmol/L HCl. CE separation of the analytes took place in the transient isotachophoresis mode with addition of NaCl and meglumine to the samples. The sensitivity (S/N = 3) and quantification limit (S/N = 10) of the method were 0.07 and 0.2 μmol/L, respectively, using a silica capillary with 50 μm internal diameter and 30.5 cm total length. The BGE was 0.02 mol/L Tris with 1 mol/L HCOOH (pH 2.2), and the separation voltage was 15–17 kV. Accuracy of SAM and SAH analysis in urine was 96 and 105%, respectively; interday precision for the SAM/SAH ratio was within 6%. The theoretical plate number exceeded a million. Total analysis time was 8.5 min.     

CE‐ESI‐MS coupled with dynamic pH junction online concentration for analysis of peptides in human urine samples

In this article, an approach has been developed for the analysis of some small peptides with similar pI values by CE‐ESI‐MS based on the online concentration strategy of dynamic pH junction. The factors affected on the separation, detection and online enrichment, such as BGE, injection pressure, sheath flow liquid and separation voltage have been investigated in detail. Under the optimum conditions, i.e. using 0.5 mol/L formic acid (pH 2.15) as the BGE, preparing the sample in 50 mM ammonium acetate solution (pH 7.5), 50 mbar of injection pressure for 300 s, using 7.5 mM of acetic acid in methanol–water (80% v/v) solution as the sheath flow liquid and 20 kV as the separation voltage, four peptides with similar pI values, such as L ‐Ala‐L ‐Ala (pI=5.57), L ‐Leu‐D ‐Leu (pI=5.52), Gly‐D ‐Phe (pI=5.52) and Gly‐Gly‐L ‐Leu (pI=5.52) achieved baseline separation within 18.3 min with detection limits in the range of 0.2–2.0 nmol/L. RSDs of peak migration time and peak area were in the range of 1.45–3.57 and 4.93–6.32%, respectively. This method has been applied to the analysis of the four peptides in the spiked urine sample with satisfactory results.