Biomedical applications of liquid chromatography-electrochemistry

Liquid chromatography-electrochemistry has proven to be a viable tool for solving a wide variety of practical analytical problems, primarily in biomedical research. Over 2000 papers have appeared and over 20 manufacturers participate in this area. In spite of these obvious measures of acceptance, there continues to be a general lack of understanding of how these systems work. This naturally stems from the unfamiliarity of chromatographers with electrochemistry and electrochemists with chromatography. Furthermore, there are aspects of both which are not yet understood in molecular detail by anyone. While there is more work to do to optimize the technique, liquid chromatography-electrochemistry clearly is very useful at its present state of development. This article presents an overview of the technology and more recently developed applications. Emphasis is placed on the chromatograph as a whole, dual-channel detectors, microdialysis sampling for in vivo determinations, derivatization and post-column reactions, and studies of xenobiotic metabolism.