Solute-solvent interactions in micellar electrokinetic chromatography: V. Factors that produce peak splitting

The experimental conditions that produce analyte peak splitting in micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MEKC) have been systematically investigated. The system studied was a neutral phosphate buffer and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles as pseudostationary phase. A number of analytes showing a wide variety of hydrophobicity values and several organic solvents as sample diluents have been tested. Peak splitting phenomena are mainly due to the presence of organic solvent in the sample solution. They increase with the hydrophobicity of the analyte and decrease with the increase of the surfactant concentration. When hydrophobic compounds are analyzed the suggested ways to avoid split peaks are: (i) the use of 1-propanol or 1-butanol as sample diluent instead of methanol or acetonitrile or (ii) the use of high concentration of surfactant in the separating solution when the analyte must be dissolved in pure methanol or acetonitrile.     

Solute-solvent interactions in micellar electrokinetic chromatography. Characterization of sodium dodecyl sulfate-Brij 35 micellar systems for quantitative structure-activity relationship modelling.

The solvation parameter model has been applied to the characterization of micellar electrokinetic chromatographic (MEKC) systems with mixtures of sodium dodecyl sulfate and Brij 35 as surfactant. The variation in MEKC surfactant composition results in changes in the coefficients of the correlation equation, which in turns leads to information on solute-solvent and solute-micelle interactions. Since the same solvation model can be used to describe many biological processes, particular MEKC surfactant compositions can be selected that model the solute-solvent interactions of some of these processes. Two different MEKC systems have been selected to model the solute-solvent interactions of two processes of biological interest (octanol-water partition and tadpole narcosis).     

Characterization of the SDS-induced electroosmotic flow in micellar electrokinetic chromatography with cationic polyelectrolyte-coated capillaries

Manipulation of the EOF is essential for achieving optimal separations by MEKC. In this paper, we present an extensive investigation of the effect of common experimental conditions on the EOF observed in a capillary coated with poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMA) polyelectrolyte under MEKC conditions. It was found that highly reproducible cathodal EOF is achieved approximately at or just below the conditional CMC value of SDS in the electrolytes used. At concentrations of SDS greater than the CMC the EOF is independent of pH. The impact of common organic modifiers (ACN, methanol, urea, beta-CD and nonionic surfactant) on the EOF behavior in both a PDADMA-coated capillary and a bare silica capillary is compared. The suppressing effect of organic modifiers on the EOF is much stronger for coated capillary indicating that these compounds additionally reduce the negative charge density on the capillary surface due to alteration of the surfactant coating.     

The influence of surface treatments on the electroosmotic flow in micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography

Summary An investigation was carried out to study the electroosmotic flow (EOF) in micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MECC). Fused silica capillaries were treated with various reagents to investigate the parameters influencing the magnitude and reproducibility of the EOF. The results for untreated and treated columns were collected and compared under the same experimental conditions. Furthermore, experiments with and without sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) addition to the buffer were carried out to elucidate the influence of this surfactant on the EOF. The mechanisms behind the effects of these modifications on the EOF and the stability of the coatings on the column wall are discussed.     

Characterisation of retention in micellar high-performance liquid chromatography, in micellar electrokinetic chromatography and in micellar electrokinetic chromatography with reduced flow

The retention (migration) behaviour of various barbiturates, phenylurea and triazine herbicides in micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) with uncoated fused-silica capillaries was compared with the behaviour in micellar electrokinetic chromatography with reduced electroosmotic flow (RF-MEKC) using capillaries modified with linear polyacrylamide. The error in the values of the retention factors caused by the neglection of the contribution of the electroosmotic flow in RF-MEKC was investigated and a method for correcting this error was suggested. The retention was characterised using the lipophilic and polar indices to characterise and to predict the retention as a function of the concentration of the surfactant (sodium dodecylsulphate) in the running buffer in MEKC and in RF-MEKC. Homologous series of n-alkylbenzenes and of n-alkan-2-ones were compared as the standard sets for the calibration of the retention (migration) index scale. The values of the lipophilic indices of a given solute measured in reversed-phase HPLC, MEKC and RF-MEKC are close to each other. Under ideal MEKC conditions, the values of the polarity indices are close to one for various sample solutes. However, for partially ionised compounds such as weakly acidic barbiturates, where the contribution of the electrophoretic migration is significant, the values of the polarity indices are significantly lower than one. Optimum conditions for separations of mixtures of triazine and phenylurea herbicides and of barbiturates using various techniques tested were compared.     

Factors controlling electroosmotic flow in open-tubular capillaries in electrokinetic chromatography

Effects of pH, concentration of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), additives, and coatings of polymers on the inner wall of fused silica tubing on electrokinetic migration were investigated with SDS solutions. The increase in SDS concentrations caused a substantial increase of the electrophoretic velocity of the SDS micelle but little affected the electroosmotic velocity v_eo under a constant applied voltage. No significant change in v_eo was observed either when the pH of the solution was varied from 5.5 to 9 or when additives such as hydroxypropyl cellulose were employed. Compared with an uncoated tube, electroosmosis became stronger in a fused silica tube coated with methyl silicone but weaker in one coated with polyethylene glycol 20M.     

Microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography in suppressed electroosmotic flow environment. Separation of fat-soluble vitamins

Microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography (MEEKC) was carried out in a pH 2.5 phosphate buffer to effectively suppress the electroosmotic flow (EOF). With 66.6% (w/w) 25 mM phosphate buffer pH 2.5, 20.0% (w/w) 2-propanol, 6.6% (w/w) 1-butanol, 6.0% (w/w) sodium lauryl sulphate (SDS), and 0.8% (w/w) n-octane as the separation medium, the fat-soluble vitamins A palmitate, E acetate, and D3 were baseline separated within 11 min. With strongly suppressed EOF, the polarity of the separation voltage was reversed (positive electrode at the outlet); the n-octane micro droplets surrounded by negatively charged SDS molecules migrated towards the detector. The aqueous part of the microemulsion was modified with 20% (w/w) 2-propanol to improve partition between the n-octane phase and the surrounding aqueous medium. The fat-soluble vitamins were separated in order of decreasing hydrophobicity with a high migration time stability (repeatable within 0.1% RSD). Excellent accuracy and precision were obtained when the system was applied for the determination of vitamin E acetate in commercial vitamin tablets; quantitative data corresponded to 97.0% of label claim, intra-day results varied within 1.72% RSD (n=6), and inter-day results varied within 3.22% RSD (n=5).     

Widening of the elution window in micellar electrokinetic chromatography with cationic surfactants. II. Cationic additives and modifiers of the electroosmotic flow.

In micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) with cationic surfactants the migration window is significantly narrower than with anionic surfactants. In order to overcome this disadvantage of cationic surfactants, it is investigated whether it is possible to widen the migration window by reducing the velocity of the aqueous phase while the electrophoretic mobility of the micelles is maintained. Short chain alkylammonium compounds, hexamethonium bromide and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose are tested as additives to the separation electrolyte with the potential to improve the migration window via reducing the velocity of the electroosmotic flow. It will be shown that these modifiers can be successfully used in order to widen the migration window in MEKC with cationic surfactant employing an alkyltrimethylammonium bromide as micelle forming agents. Influence of the modifiers selected on retention of neutral and acidic solutes and on efficiency of the separation system is investigated.     

Sample stacking and sweeping in microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography under pH-suppressed electroosmotic flow

Two on-line sample concentration techniques, sample stacking and sweeping under pH-suppressed electroosmotic flow, were evaluated in microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography. The concept of stacking with anion selective electrokinetic injection and a water plug in a reverse-migrating microemulsion (SASIW-RMME) was brought forward in this article. Six flavonoids were concentrated using a microemulsion consisting of 80 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate, 1.2% (v/v) ethyl acetate, 0.6% (v/v) 1-butanol, 10% acetonitrile (v/v) and 50 mM phosphoric acid (pH* 1.8). Significant detector response improvements were achieved. The limits of detection were in the low ng/ml level. Finally, the sample of Fructus aurantii Immaturus was analyzed using sweeping technique.     

Characterization of anacardic acids by micellar electrokinetic chromatography and mass spectrometry

A possibility of using capillary electrophoresis for separation of anacardic acids (6-alkylsalicylic acids) has been studied. Conventional micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) in non-coated fused silica capillaries and reversed-flow micellar electrokinetic chromatography (RF-MEKC) in capillaries coated with polydimethylacrylamide was applied for separation of anacardic acids extracted from cashew nuts. Influence of the composition of background electrolyte on the resolution of anacardic acid isomers was evaluated. Separations were performed using sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) micelles and mixed micelles of SDS and polyoxyethylene lauryl ether as a pseudostationary phase. To further improve the separation in RF-MEKC, beta-cyclodextrin and a dual cyclodextrin system of beta-cyclodextrin with heptakis-6-sulphato-beta-cyclodextrin was added to the working electrolyte. Best separation of anacardic acids were achieved in the polydimethylacrylamide-coated capillary using 10 mM phosphate background electrolyte pH 6.5 with addition of 1 M urea, 20% acetonitrile, 10 mM of beta-cyclodextrin and 1 mM of heptakis-6-sulfo-beta-cyclodextrin. Mass spectrometry was used for the identification of anacardic acids in the extract from cashew nuts in single and tandem mode using Q-TOF instrument. Nine anacardic acids were identified in the extract form the cashew nuts.     

Characterization of chemical selectivity in micellar electrokinetic chromatography. VI. Effects of surfactant counter-ion

Linear solvation energy relationships and free energy of transfer data were used to evaluate the influence of the surfactant counter-ion on selectivity in micellar electrokinetic chromatography. It was determined that selectivity differences are dependent on the valency of the counter-ion but not the type of counter-ion. Monovalent surfactants, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and lithium dodecyl sulfate, have nearly identical selectivity behavior. The divalent surfactants, magnesium didodecyl sulfate and copper didodecyl sulfate also show very similar behavior. However, when the divalent counter-ion species is compared to SDS under similar conditions, significant differences are observed. Most notably, the utilization of divalent counter-ion species of dodecyl sulfate surfactants causes the micelles to become more hydrophobic and a weaker hydrogen bond donating pseudo-stationary phases. It is believed that the divalent counter-ions reduce the electrostatic repulsion between the surfactant head groups and therefore, increase the chain packing of the monomers in the micelle aggregates. This reduces the degree of hydration of the micellar palisade layer leading to a decreased ability of the micelle to participate in polar/polarizable and hydrogen bonding interactions with solute molecules.     

Retention indices in micellar electrokinetic chromatography

The use of retention indices in micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) is evaluated both from a theoretical and a practical point of view. Fundamental equations for the determination of retention indices in MEKC are described, showing that retention indices are independent of the surfactant concentration. Possibilities as well as limitations of different homologous series as reference standards are described. In addition, the practical application of retention indices for identification, investigation of solute-micelle interactions, characterization and classification of pseudo-stationary phases and determination of solute lipophilicity are discussed.     

Recent advances in micellar electrokinetic chromatography

This review contains nearly 200 reference citations, and covers advances in electrokinetic capillary chromatography based on micelles, including stabilized micelle complexes, polymeric and mixed micelles from 2003-2004. Detection strategies, analyte determinations, and applications in micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MEKC) are discussed. Information regarding methods of analyte concentration, analyte specific analyses, and nonstandard micelles has been summarized in tabular form to provide a means of rapid access to information pertinent to the reader.     

Optimization of resolution in micellar electrokinetic chromatography

A comparison of separations conducted in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and SDS modified with Brij 35 indicates that selectivity, in Micellar Electrokinetic Chromatography (MEKC), is governed by the composition of the micellar phase. Beyond selectivity optimization, resolution may be improved by increasing efficiency or decreasing electroosmotic flow. Of these approaches, increasing capillary length (to improve efficiency) should be a more time effective means of improving separation.     

Twenty-five years of micellar electrokinetic chromatography

Micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC), which can separate neutral analytes as well as charged analytes by the capillary electrophoretic technique, was developed in 1982 and the first paper was published in 1984. The authors’ group concentrated their effort into the characterization of MEKC as a separation technique until early 1990s. Most issues in MEKC separations were successfully solved and wide applicability of MEKC was verified in 1990s. In particular, sweeping, an on-line sample preconcentration technique, was very successful for the concentration of neutral analyte as well as ionic ones. In this paper, our studies on MEKC will be summarized from the personal viewpoint of the author.