A wireless electrochemiluminescence detector applied to direct and indirect detection for electrophoresis on a microfabricated glass device

A novel electrochemiluminescence (ECL) detector is presented in this articl e. The detector is applied for micellar electrokinetic chromatographic sepa ration of dichlorotris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) hydrate [Ru-(bpy)] and dichlorotris(1,10-phenanthroline)ruthenium-(II) hydrate [Ru(phen)] on a mic rofabricated glass device. It consists of a microfabricated "U"-shape float ing platinum electrode placed across the separation channel. The legs of th e U function respectively as working and counter electrode. The required po tential difference for the ECL reaction is: generated at the Pt electrode b y the electric field available in the separation channel during electrophor etic separation. Initial experiments demonstrate a micellar electrokinetic separation and direct ECL detection of 10(-16) of Ru(phen) (10(-6) M) and 4 .5 x 10(-16) mol of Ru(bpy) (5 x 10(-6) M). Also, preliminary results show the indirect detection of three amino acids. The high voltage at the locati on of detection does not interfere with the electrochemistry.