Microchip reversed-phase liquid chromatography with packed column and electrochemical flow cell using polystyrene/poly(dimethylsiloxane)

A microchip pressure-driven liquid chromatography (LC) with a packed column and an electrochemical flow cell has been developed by using polystyrene (PS) and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). The cylindrical separation column with packed octadecyl silica particles was fabricated in the PS substrate. The three electrode system (working, reference, and counter electrode) for amperometric detection was fabricated onto the PS substrate, using the Au deposition, photolithography, and chemical etching. The detector flow cell was formed by sealing the electrode system with a PDMS chip containing a channel. In this flow cell, the effect of working electrode width (in the direction of flow) on chromatographic parameters, such as peak width and peak resolution were studied in electrode width ranging 50–5000 μm. The effect of electrode width on sensitivity (current intensity, current density, and S/N ratio) was also examined. The sensitivity was discussed by simulating the concentration profile generated around the working electrode. The effects of the column packing size and the column size on the separation efficiency were examined. In this study, a good separation of three catechins was successfully achieved and the detection limits for (+)-catechin, epicatechin, and epigallocatechin gallate were 350, 450, and 160 nM, respectively.