Fast choice of separation conditions for analyses by capillary zone electrophoresis using an information system Xemic

An information system Xemic applicable in analytical chemistry is described and its use in capillary electrophoresis for searching suitable separation conditions is demonstrated. This system is capable to provide suitable separation conditions even for analytes for which no electrophoretic experiments have been published so far. The system works with a database of components of anionic character the analyses of which have been performed, published in reviewed scientific journals, and included into a database created by an expert. Moreover, the system learned to search also in abstracts or complete scientific articles to find articles dealing with the determination of a substance in a given sample matrix. When no experiments have been published so far for a defined substance in a specific matrix, Xemic shows the separation conditions for determination of the substance regardless of the matrix. When no response can be found for the analyte of interest at all, the system Xemic works like an expert in the field and searches chemically similar substances and offers a series of substances the physicochemical properties of which are close to the followed analyte with respect to the behavior in the electric field, and shows working conditions for their analysis. Thus, the analyst puts only the order in the form of a given analyte in a given matrix and obtains a recommendation of a separation system that should enable to perform a successful separation. The system is not rigid and enables the operator to change the importance of individual attributes used in similarity search so as to obtain a broader or narrower group of similar components. With a certain probability the analyte of interest can be successfully analyzed under separation conditions that suited for the analysis of the most similar substances in the given matrix.