CAPILLARY ELECTROPHORESIS IN PHARMACEUTICAL ANALYSIS

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is a separation technique particularly suited to the analysis of pharmaceutical compounds. This review offers a detailed discussion of the four common modes of detection coupled t o CE-UV absorption, fluorescence, electrochemical, and mass spectromet ry-and gives examples of the use of these methods in pharmaceutical an alyses. Sample preparation and pretreatment techniques used for CE sep arations are described, as well as methods of preconcentration includi ng hydrophobic retention, affinity concentration, sample stacking, and isotachophoresis. The use of affinity CE, chiral CE, and capillary,ee l electrophoresis for analysis of pharmaceuticals is covered in detail , and recent advances in capillary electrochromatography and CE on a c hip are also discussed.