Separating microbes in the manner of molecules. 1. Capillary electrokinetic approaches

Selective, high-efficiency separations of intact bacteria may, in some case s, allow them to be identified and quantified in much the same way that mol ecules are done today. Two different capillary electrokinetic approaches we re utilized. The first approach used a dissolved polymer-based CE separatio n that may be affected by size and shape considerations. Another approach u ses capillary isoelectric focusing to separate bacteria by their surface ch arge or isoelectric point. Good peak shapes and extremely high efficiencies are observed (up to similar to 1600000 theoretical plates/m). Careful samp le preparation and separation runs are essential in order to obtain reprodu cible separations. Expansion of these types of rapid, efficient microbial s eparations could have profound effects on many branches of science and tech nology.