HIGH-PERFORMANCE MICELLAR ELECTROKINETIC CHROMATOGRAPHY OF EXPLOSIVES

The application of high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) t o the separation of neutral hydrophobic polynitroaromatic and heterocy clic explosives is considered. The working prototype of an HPCE instru ment, developed at the Institute of Analytical Instrument Making of th e Russian Academy of Sciences is described. The mechanism of fractiona ting hydrophobic substances with the use of a special HPCE mode, micel lar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC), and optimization of MEKC are discussed. Examples of separating polynitroaromatic and heterocyclic explosives with the use of MEKC are presented.