Electrochemically assisted injection – a new approach for hyphenation of electrochemistry with capillary-based separation systems

A new concept based on the electrochemical conversion of analyte species during the injection into capillary flow systems is presented. This approach is termed electrochemically assisted injection (EAI). In a specially designed injection cell containing the analyte solution a conversion efficiency of about 83% can be achieved. Potassium octacyanotungstate(IV) served as a model compound for the analytical characterisation of EAI applying capillary flow injection analysis with double-pulse amperometric detection. Capillary electrophoresis experiments were performed using EAI to study the electrochemical oxidation of various ferrocene derivatives in acetonitrile solution. The electropherograms recorded with UV detection show separated signals for the ferrocene compounds and their oxidation products. The migration behaviour and the stability of ferrocenium cations and other reaction products were investigated.