title: A novel buffer system for separation of metal cations by capillary electrophoresis with indirect UV detection.
abstract: Generally, the buffers used for metal ion separations in capillary electrophoresis (CE) consist of a UV-active substance, pH-adjuster, and weak complexing reagent. This paper describes the successful separation of metal ions with a new buffer that contains no complexing reagent. Of several weakly basic compounds tested, 2-aminopyridine was selected as the most useful UV-active substance. It was used at a concentration of 15 mM with pH adjusted to 5.0 +/- 0.1 by acetic acid. The degree of protonation of the UV-active substance played an important role in detection. The stacking phenomenon was a significant contributor to efficiency in this buffer system, and water-diluted samples gave especially high efficiencies. When a 75-micron-i.d. fused-silica capillary was used, a separation efficiency of 1.8 x 10(5) was observed. Quantitative determinations of Ca2+, Mn2+, Zn2+, and Cd2+ were achieved with good linear calibration curves over the range of concentration from a few milligrams per liter to 100 mg/L. The detection limits were 0.2 mg/L for Ca2+, 0.4 mg/L for Mn2+ and Zn2+, and 0.6 mg/L for Cd2+, based on three times the baseline noise.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Nordmeyer
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Lamb
mesh_terms: D002021:Buffers; D002412:Cations / Q000032:analysis*; D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary / Q000379:methods*; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D002021:Buffers; D002412:Cations; D008670:Metals