Capillary electrophoresis-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry interface with minimised dead volume for high separation efficiency

A modified microconcentric nebulizer (MCN-100) has been used to construct a n improved interface with minimised liquid and gas phase dead volumes for t he coupling of capillary electrophoresis (CE) and inductively coupled plasm a mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). A plate number of 3.6.10(6) plates m(-1) has been achieved; This is an order of magnitude better than the results previo usly reported for CE-ICP-MS. The separation efficiency of the system is dem onstrated by the baseline separation of eight rare earth metals within a ti me span of 14.6 s. The system was used to control the purity of vitamin B-1 2 and glutaredoxin 2 from Escherichia coli. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.