Ultra-High Resolution Separation Comes of Age

The potential of Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) for the automated and rapid analysis of complex mixtures with high resolution and high sensitivity is being realized as we enter the new millennium. CE coupled with sensitive microdetection laser methods is being employed in devices, such as microchips, to isolate, detect, and provide analysis on samples of only a few hundred atoms. Sophisticated data collection and data processing and computer control facilitate the integration of CE with other analytical, chemical, and/or biochemical steps to further facilitate lab-on-a-chip technologies. This article provides a description of the theory and use of modern CE devices.