Abstract: Automated capillary electrophoresis tests can be performed using the capillary electrophoresis instrument of this invention. The capillary electrophoresis instrument has means for automatically purging and replenishing electrolytes, for automatically entering a sample into the capillary tube and for automatically performing capillary electrophoresis. A detector for simultaneous detection of absorbance and fluorescence provides means for quantifing the species separated by electrophoresis.