Separation of rhubarb anthraquinones by capillary electrochromatography

A rapid, simple method for packing capillary electrochromatography (CEC) co lumns with HPLC stationary phases is described. The basis of the method is the use of a vacuum to suck a slurry of stationary phase into the fused-sil ica tubing, a procedure which takes approximately ten seconds only then com pression of the stationary phase by means of an HPLC pump. These packed CEC columns have been investigated for the separation of five anthraquinones f rom rhubarb. Separation of the anthraquinones in Rheum palmatum L. under op timized conditions is presented.