title: Simple interface for capillary electrophoresis-inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry.
abstract: A simple interface has been developed to couple capillary electrophoresis (CE) to inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) for metal speciation. A concentric glass nebulizer with elongated tip is used as the CE-ICP interface. The CE capillary is the central tube of the nebulizer. A platinum wire is wrapped across the exit end of the CE capillary to provide electrical connection to the CE power supply. No sheath flow of buffer solution is needed. A simple cooling system has also been developed. A peristaltic pump circulates water through a plastic tube that encloses the section of the CE capillary between the CE instrument and the ICP spectrometer. Characteristics of the CE-ICP interface, e.g., elution time, nebulization and transport efficiency and peak broadening, versus carrier gas flow-rate have been studied. Comparisons to a previous design with the Pt electrode inserted into the end of the CE capillary are made where appropriate. The reproducibility (RSD) in ICP emission intensity of the system is <4%. Detection limits of Cr and Cu are approximately 5 ng/ml.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: W T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic / Q000295:instrumentation*