Up-scaling capillary zone electrophoresis separations of polydisperse anionic polyelectrolytes with preparative free-flow electrophoresis exemplified with a soil fulvic acid

A scale-up of analytical capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) to preparative free-flow electrophoresis (FFE) is described. FFE allows fractionations based on charge densities in larger amounts than in CZE, enabling further off-line analysis of the fractions. Model compounds (carboxylic acids and polystyrene sulfonates) showed a similar behavior in FFE as in CZE. Diffusion and electrodynamic distortion effects are more pronounced in FFE than in CZE. A soil fulvic acid was analyzed by CZE and fractionated by FFE. A comparison of the FFE fractions with CZE measurements of the same sample using the effective mobility scale showed good agreement of the two methods.