FRACTION COLLECTION AFTER AN OPTIMIZED MICELLAR ELECTROKINETIC CAPILLARY CHROMATOGRAPHIC-SEPARATION OF NUCLEIC-ACID CONSTITUENTS

The possible use of capillary electrophoresis (CE) in micellar conditi ons with fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB-MS) for the char acterization of DNA adducts with the ultimate goal of determining thes e compounds in biological matrices was explored. A method for fraction collection from an optimized and automated micellar electrokinetic ca pillary chromatographic (MECC) system is described. Parameters such as the reproducibility of migration times and injection and the maximum mass loadings are addressed. Fractions were collected directly in a sm all volume (5 mul) of buffer with sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) with r ecoveries of >75%. The fractions collected were further analysed using MECC and FAB-MS. Preliminary analysis by FAB-MS showed high backgroun d signals due to the presence of the SDS, demonstrating the difficulti es that will be encountered with fractions deriving from a micellar se paration and the need for more detailed investigations of the mass spe ctrometric conditions in this special case.