Micellar electrokinetic chromatography: current developments and future.

Abstract

This review highlights recent methodological and instrumental advances in micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC). Enhancements in sensitivity and selectivity of the technique through the use of on-line preconcentration approaches (stacking and sweeping) and nonconventional pseudostationary phases, namely nonionic and zwitterionic surfactants, mixed micelles and polymers, are discussed in detail. Laser-induced fluorescence and mass spectrometry, as alternatives to UV-absorption detection, have been covered to evaluate their advantages and limitations when applied to analysis in an MEKC format. Some thoughts on future directions in this area such as in-capillary reactions, coated capillaries and MEKC on microchips are also presented.