title: Improving sensitivity for microchip electrophoresis interfaced with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry using parallel multichannel separation.
abstract: We reported sensitivity enhancement using multichannel parallel separation for microchip electrophoresis hyphenated with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MCE-ICP-MS) in this study. By using 2-20 array lanes for parallel separation, the sensitivity of the MCE-ICP-MS system was proportionally improved by 2-20 folds. No significantly adverse effect of parallel separation on column efficiency and resolution was observed. Rapid separation of Hg(2+) and methylmercuric (MeHg) ion within 36s under an electric field of 800Vcm(-1) was achieved in the 2-cm twenty-channels with a background electrolyte of 5mmolL(-1) borate buffer (pH 9.2). Detection limits of Hg(2+) and MeHg by the proposed system were decreased to 6.8-7.1ngL(-1). Good agreement between determined values and certified values of a certified reference fish was obtained with recoveries ranged between 94-98%. All results prove its advantages including high sensitivity, high efficiency and low operation cost, which are beneficial to routine analysis of metal speciation in environmental, biological and food fields.
authors.affiliation: College of Material Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China.
authors.forename: Heyong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: College of Material Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China; Qianjiang College, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China. Electronic address: jinhua6903@163.com.
authors.forename: Jinhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Analytical and Applied Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China.
authors.forename: Zigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: College of Material Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China. Electronic address: wangyc1819@126.com.
authors.forename: Yuanchao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Material Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China.
authors.forename: Meiying
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ye
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D046209:Electrophoresis, Microchip / Q000379:methods*; D005399:Fishes; D057230:Limit of Detection; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D008628:Mercury
keywords: Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; Mercury speciation; Microchip electrophoresis; Parallel separation; Sensitivity enhancement