Alternative methods providing enhanced sensitivity and selectivity in capillary electroseparation experiments

The study of alternative and novel techniques for altering selectivity and enhancing sensitivity as well as injection and detection protocols are important in the ongoing development of capillary electroseparation protocols. Some recent research from our laboratory in these fields is presented and discussed in this review. To improve sensitivity an off-line sample enrichment technique utilising solvent evaporation in a levitated drop or an on-line solid-phase extraction protocol was used. The selectivity was tuned by the use of protein gels or molecularly imprinted polymer mediated capillary electrochromatography. Furthermore, a picolitre droplet injection method is described as well as a detection protocol based on laser-induced fluorescence imaging.