Photoactivation: A Novel Means to Mediate Electrophoretic Separations

By introducing electromagnetic radiation of the appropriate wavelength, polarization, and power, the electronic charge within a solute molecule can be redistributed in ways that affect its electrophoretic mobility. Consequently, photoactivation may be utilized to control and to enhance electrophoretic separations in a selective and predictable manner. The general concept and theory of the photoactivation method are elucidated, and the feasibility is demonstrated for representative photoionization and photodissociation reactions.