| Abstract: | Simultaneous determination of cysteine (RSH) and cystine (RSSR), two important sulfur-containing amino acids, in capillary electrophoresis (CE) has been an analytical task. Dual-microelectrode amperometric detection seems to be a good scheme, but significant difficulty in electrode construction and poor detection limit for RSSR determination remain major short-comings. In reverse pulse amperometric (RPA) detection, the applied potentials are repeatedly pulsed back and forth between the reducing initial potential (e.g., Ei = ?1.4 V) and the oxidizing final potential (e.g., Ef = 0.0 V) at a single, gold-mercury amalgam (Au/Hg) microelectrode. At Ei, RSSR is reduced to RSH which causes catalytical oxidation of the Au/Hg amalgam microelectrode when the potential is pulsed to Ef. The resulting anodic current is then recorded. Therefore, by using RPA detection after CE separation, RSH and RSSR can be simultaneously determined. |
