Application of capillary electrophoresis to process monitoring in the manufacturing of semisynthetic penicillins

Application of capillary electrophoresis to monitoring the concentration of material penicillin and the intermediates in the manufacturing process of semisynthetic penicillins was investigated. Factors affecting the precision of analysis were screened and optimised by orthogonal array designs. Compared to conventional HPLC methods, the capillary electrophoresis method gives better resolution and faster sample throughput. Other advantages of the capillary electrophoresis method over HPLC methods include much less consumption of buffer solution and the absence of organic solvents in the analysis.