Abstract: Chiral surfactants, methods for their synthesis and use, and apparatus designed to facilitate chiral separations using nucellar capillary electrophoresis is disclosed. A chiral surfactant having the general formula: ##STR1## is described, R1 is the hydrophobic tail, Y-A-X is the linker, the brackets define a chiral center, and the hydrophilic head group is Z. All the various components may potentiate the enantioselectivity of the chiral surfactant. The capillary electrophoresis (CE) system includes a narrow diameter capillary, a high voltage power supply, an electrolyte reservoir at each end of the capillary, a means for injecting a sample, and a detector. Chiral surfactants are dissolved in the electrolyte above their critical micelle concentration (cmc), resulting in the formation of chiral micelles. The electrolyte reservoirs and capillary tube are filled with the electrolyte.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for concentrating a solute sample which can be subsequently released for analysis by capillary electrophoresis. The apparatus comprises a tube containing a short length of packed particles or gel adapted to retain sample solutes which particles are retained in the tube by tube constrictions or porous plugs. The tube includes an inlet for introducing a sample into the tube and an outlet for introducing the retained sample into a capillary electrophoresis tube.

Abstract: A method for performing capillary electrophoresis with improved regularity of migration time of the analytes is disclosed. A capillary electrophoresis system includes a fused silica capillary, a high voltage power supply, electrolyte reservoirs at both ends of the capillary, means for injecting a sample, and a detector. After separation, analytes within the sample are identified by comparing their migration time with the migration time of internal or external standards. Since migration times are dependent on the concentration of the injected sample, identification of unknown analytes can often be difficult or subject to error without the use of such standards. These problems associated with concentration dependent migration time are substantially eliminated by using a combination of high voltage power supply running modes (i.e. constant current, constant voltage or constant power) during the course of the analysis.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for concentrating a solute sample which can be subsequently released for analysis by capillary electrophoresis. The apparatus comprises a tube containing a short length of packed particles or gel adapted to retain sample solutes which particles are retained in the tube by tube constrictions or porous plugs. The tube includes an inlet for introducing a sample into the tube and an outlet for introducing the retained sample into a capillary electrophoresis tube.

Abstract: Capillary electrophoresis is effected by introducing into a capillary a buffer solution a zwitterion composition comprised of substantially equal numbers of positive and negative charges when the negative charges are desired from sulfonate or sulfate groups and the positive charges are derived from quaternary amines, quaternary phosphines or quanternary arsines. A sample is introduced into the capillary and an electric field is established through the capillary to cause the sample to migrate through the capillary.

Abstract: A technique for separating, identifying and measuring ions in solution by capillary zone electrophoresis is described, which provides improved sensitivity and resolution of anionic and cationic species. The method involves introducing a sample containing the ionic species into a narrow core capillary filled with a carrier electrolyte containing a selected light-absorbing anion or cation to an electrical current in a capillary column causing the ions to elute according to their ionic mobility. Both UV absorbing and UV-transparent ions can be detected and quantitated by UV/Visible photometric monitoring.

Abstract: A technique for separating, identifying and measuring ions in solution by capillary zone electrophoresis is described, which provides improved sensitivity and resolution of anionic and cationic species. The method involves introducing a sample containing the ionic species into a narrow core capillary filled with a carrier electrolyte containing a selected light-absorbing anion or cation to an electrical current in a capillary column causing the ions to elute according to their ionic mobility. Both UV absorbing and UV-transparent ions can be detected and quantitated by UV/Visible photometric monitoring.

Abstract: A technique for separating, identifying and measuring ions in solution by capillary zone electrophoresis is described, which provides improved sensitivity and resolution of anionic species. The method involves subjecting a sample containing the ionic species a light-absorbing material and a quaternary ammonium salt to an electrical current in a capillary column causing the ions to elute according to their ionic mobility. The ionic species are detected and quantitated by UV/Visible photometric monitoring.