A new electrode chamber for stable performance in capillary electrophoresis

Prerequisite to running automated sequences of analyses in capillary electrophoresis is a stable performance of the system. The products of the electrode reaction with the running background electrolyte (BGE) may play an important role, since even the neutral products may be driven into the capillary by electroosmosis and may severely deteriorate the stability of the baseline. Here, a simple, inexpensive, and fast procedure is described for improving the stability of the performance of capillary electrophoresis using a modified vial serving as the electrode chamber for the running BGE. The modification is based on creating two separate rooms in the vial, one for the electrode and a second one for the capillary. These two rooms are connected by a cotton plug. When both rooms are filled with the running BGE, the electrolytic connection between the electrode and the capillary is ensured; however, the convective transport of the electrode reaction products into the capillary is practically eliminated.