Effect of electroosmotic flow on selectivity, efficiency, and resolution in capillary zone electrophoresis expressed...

A dimensionless number, the reduced mobility, mu i, of separand, i, defined by mu i = ueff,i/(Ueff,i + Ueo) (with the specific effective mobility, Ueff,i, and the unspecific electroosmotic mobility, Ueo), permits expressing the effect of the electroosmotic flow (EOF) in capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) on all relevant separation parameters, such as selectivity, efficiency, and resolution. A detailed discussion is given for the extent of the effect of the EOF on both cations and anions. The gain and loss of separation performance by application of an EOF is described quantitatively by expressions consisting solely of the reduced mobility.