The Inject-Mix-React-Separate-and-Quantitate (IMReSQ) approach to studying reactions in capillaries

A capillary or a narrow channel is an attractive medium for studying reactions. A capillary can serve as (i) a microreactor for carrying out a reaction in a nanoliter volume and (ii) a separation column to separate the reaction products prior to their quantitation. The term “Inject-Mix-React-Separate-and-Quantitate” (IMReSQ) includes all analyses of reactions in capillaries that involve these five steps. We analyze these steps in detail and formulate the requirements for them to be generic and quantitative.