PLACKETT-BURMAN EXPERIMENTAL-DESIGN IN CHIRAL ANALYSIS USING CAPILLARY ELECTROPHORESIS

Plackett-Burman experimental design has been studied in the chiral sep aration of clenbuterol using capillary electropheresis (CE). This satu rated fractional design approach was used to simultaneously investigat e the variables pH, cyclodextrin concentration, electrolyte ionic stre ngth, methanol concentration, and injection time, each at three levels . Percentage main effects of each variable on resolution, retention ti me and peak efficiency were calcualted. Ionic strength, pH and beta-cy clodextrin concentration were found to exert the greatest effect on re solution, pH on retention time and pH and ionic strength on peak effic iency. Results are in agreement with those from a previous univariate study. It is concluded that Plackett-Burman experimental design offers a rapid means for testing robustness of chiral CE methods or for the simultaneous screening of experimental variables.