CAPILLARY ELECTROPHORESIS AND MICRODIALYSIS - CURRENT TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS

Microdialysis sampling has become an important method for the continuo us monitoring from an in vivo environment. This technique has been use d to monitor many endogenous molecules, such as neurotransmitters, as well as exogenous species such as drug substances. Microdialysis sampl es have traditionally been analyzed by liquid chromatographic (LC) met hods to gain resolution and quantification of the molecules of interes t. However, LC separations have a relatively large injection volume re quirement which, as a consequence, increases microdialysis sampling ti mes. Capillary electrophoresis (CE), with its very small sample volume requirements and high resolving power, has therefore gained popularit y as an alternative to LC. Reviewed here are many of the technologies currently available for CE and examples of how this technique has been effectively applied to the analysis of microdialysis samples.