Multidimensional Electrodriven Separations

Multidimensional separations allow for the analysis of complex mixtures, such as those from biological matrices with thousands of components that would be difficult or impossible to separate by utilizing only one method. Electrodriven separations have been employed to separate biological molecules for many years, due to the charged nature of amino acids and nucleic acids. The addition of an electrodriven component to a multidimensional separation is therefore desirable, especially for the separation of biological mixtures. 

This chapter will first cover the nature of electrophoretic separations, especially those concerning capillary electrophoresis. Comprehensive multidimensional separations will then be defined, specifically in terms of orthogonality and resolution. The history of planar and non-comprehensive electrodriven separations will then be discussed. True comprehensive multidimensional separations involving chromatography and capillary electrophoresis will be described next. Finally, the future directions of these multidimensional techniques will be outlined. 

Zone electrophoresis is defined as the differential migration of a molecule having a net charge through a medium under the influence of an electric field (1). This technique was first used in the 1930s, when it was discovered that moving boundary electrophoresis yielded incomplete separations of analytes (2). The separations were incomplete due to Joule heating within the system, which caused convection which was detrimental to the separation. 

Charged macromolecules, such as proteins or polymers, are often separated elec-trophoretically. The rate of migration through an electric field increases with net charge and field strength. Molecular size of analytes and viscosity of separation media both have inverse relationships with rate of migration. These variables must all be taken into account in order to optimize the conditions for an efficient electrophoretic separation. 

The mechanism by which analytes are transported in a non-discriminate manner (i.e. via bulk flow) in an electrophoresis capillary is termed electroosmosis. Eigure 9.1 depicts the inside of a fused silica capillary and illustrates the source that supports electroosmotic flow. Adjacent to the negatively charged capillary wall are specifically adsorbed counterions, which make up the fairly immobile Stern layer. The excess ions just outside the Stern layer form the diffuse layer, which is mobile under the influence of an electric field. The substantial frictional forces between molecules in solution allow for the movement of the diffuse layer to pull the bulk 

---

The most successful multidimensional electrodriven separations to date have been performed by James Jorgenson and his group at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This group has accomplished several successful comprehensive... 

Electrodriven techniques are useful as components in multidimensional separation systems due to their unique mechanisms of separation, high efficiency and speed. The work carried out by Jorgenson and co-workers has demonstrated the high efficiencies and peak capacities that are possible with comprehensive multidimensional electrodriven separations. The speed and efficiency of CZE makes it possibly the best technique to use for the final dimension in a liquid phase multidimensional separation. It can be envisaged that multidimensional electrodriven techniques will eventually be applied to the analysis of complex mixtures of all types. The peak capacities that can result from these techniques make them extraordinarily powerful tools. When the limitations of one-dimensional separations are finally realized, and the simplicity of multidimensional methods is enhanced, the use of multidimensional electrodriven separations may become more widespread. 

Electrodriven separation techniques are destined to be included in many future multidimensional systems, as CE is increasingly accepted in the analytical laboratory. The combination of LC and CE should become easier as vendors work towards providing enhanced microscale pumps, injectors, and detectors (18). Detection is often a problem in capillary techniques due to the short path length that is inherent in the capillary. The work by Jorgenson s group mainly involved fluorescence detection to overcome this limit in the sensitivity of detection, although UV-VIS would be less restrictive in the types of analytes detected. Increasingly sensitive detectors of many types will make the use of all kinds of capillary electrophoretic techniques more popular. 

---