What is it about?
Microchip electrophoresis (ME) represents an effective separation technique to perform quick analytical separations of complex samples. It offers high resolution and significant peak capacity. ME is used in many areas, including biology, chemistry, engineering, and medicine. Principles identical to those of capillary electrophoresis (CE) constitute its basis.
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Why is it important?
It is possible to perform electrophoresis in a more direct and convenient way in a microchip because the electric field is the driving force of electrodes without high pressure required in chromatography. The amount of the voltage that is applied in some electrophoresis modes, e.g. micelle electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE), mainly determines separation efficiency. Therefore, it is possible to apply a higher electric field along a considerably shorter separation channel, hence it is possible to carry out ME much quicker.
Perspectives
The miniaturization of CE to a microchip offers many advantages. These are reduced analysis time, fast response, lower consumption of sample and reagents, decreased production of waste, the on-line coupling of various processes. A decreased size may cause portability of devices for ensuring on-site testing of biological samples. Maximum a couple of minutes are required to finish the separation on the microchip.
Dr Ebru Buyuktuncel
Inonu Universitesi
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Microchip Electrophoresis and Bioanalytical Applications, Current Pharmaceutical Analysis, January 2019, Bentham Science Publishers,
DOI: 10.2174/1573412914666180831100533.
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