New methodology for capillary electrophoresis with ESI-MS detection: Electrophoretic focusing on inverse electromigration dispersion gradient. High-sensitivity analysis of sulfonamides in waters

• Focusing on inverse EMD gradient combined with ESI-MS detection.
• First practical implementation of new separation principle.
• Design of robust ESI-compatible electrolyte system.
• Simultaneous focusing and transport of analytes to MS detector.
• Fast, sensitive and specific analysis of sulfonamides in water (LOD 3 × 10−9 M).

This article describes for the first time the combination of electrophoretic focusing on inverse electromigration dispersion (EMD) gradient, a new separation principle described in 2010, with electrospray-ionization (ESI) mass spectrometric detection. The separation of analytes along the electromigrating EMD profile proceeds so that each analyte is focused and concentrated within the profile at a particular position given by its pKa and ionic mobility. The proposed methodology combines this principle with the transport of the focused zones to the capillary end by superimposed electromigration, electroosmotic flow and ESI suction, and their detection by the MS detector. The designed electrolyte system based on maleic acid and 2,6-lutidine is suitable to create an inverse EMD gradient of required properties and its components are volatile enough to be compatible with the ESI interface. The characteristic properties of the proposed electrolyte system and of the formed inverse gradient are discussed in detail using calculated diagrams and computer simulations. It is shown that the system is surprisingly robust and allows sensitive analyses of trace amounts of weak acids in the pKa range between approx. 6 and 9. As a first practical application of electrophoretic focusing on inverse EMD gradient, the analysis of several sulfonamides in waters is reported. It demonstrates the potential of the developed methodology for fast and high-sensitivity analyses of ionic trace analytes, with reached LODs around 3 × 10−9 M (0.8 ng mL−1) of sulfonamides in spiked drinking water without any sample pretreatment.

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