Electrofilament deposition and off-column detection of analytes separated by capillary electrophoresis

Capillary electrophoresis interfaced with electrospray is a convenient technique for continuously transferring column effluent from capillary-to-planar format. Conditions are optimized to produce a narrow (approximately 20 microm) liquid filament (electrofilament), which is capable of depositing spatially focused bands with track widths that are routinely 100 microm. A fiber optic-based, laser-induced fluorescence cell is employed to monitor the separation on-column while the separated bands are deposited onto a moving substrate. The photodetection of deposited bands is accomplished by using either a charge-coupled device camera or a photomultiplier tube. Deterioration of on-column separation performance is observed when the electrofilament voltage is applied. Elevating the inlet of the capillary column, to provide hydrodynamic flow, restores separation performance. Substrate temperature and translational rates are optimized with respect to both off-column separation efficiency and signal intensity. Off-column separation efficiencies of 65 000 plates per meter were achieved. A linear dynamic range of 10(3) and a limit of detection of 10(-8) M were obtained for kiton red deposited onto a reversed phase thin-layer chromatography plate. To demonstrate the applicability of this technique to more complex separation solutions, a dye mixture was successfully separated and deposited with sodium dodecyl sulfate in the running buffer.