Present state of microchip electrophoresis: State of the art and routine applications

• We review advances in microchip electrophoresis since 2010.
• Novel and routine applications of microchip electrophoresis in relevant fields are discussed.
• The impact of microchip electrophoresis since its introduction and prospects for the future are assessed.

Microchip electrophoresis (MCE) was one of the earliest applications of the micro-total analysis system (μ-TAS) concept, whose aim is to reduce analysis time and reagent and sample consumption while increasing throughput and portability by miniaturizing analytical laboratory procedures onto a microfluidic chip. More than two decades on, electrophoresis remains the most common separation technique used in microfluidic applications. MCE-based instruments have had some commercial success and have found application in many disciplines. This review will consider the present state of MCE including recent advances in technology and both novel and routine applications in the laboratory. We will also attempt to assess the impact of MCE in the scientific community and its prospects for the future.