Search Results (7)

The bioanalysis of body fluids plays a crucial role in clinical diagnostics, pharmaceutical research, forensic science, and biomarker discovery. Traditional chromatographic techniques are widely used in clinical laboratories but are often costly and time-consuming. Capillary electrophoresis (CE) and its modifications, such as capillary zone electrophoresis, isotachophoresis, and micellar electrokinetic chromatography, have emerged as efficient, cost-effective, and miniaturized alternatives for analyzing small organic and inorganic molecules in biological fluids. This paper deals with the applications of CE-based electromigration techniques in the determination of various analytes in urine, blood, saliva, and cerebrospinal fluid. The study further discusses the advantages and limitations of different detection methods, including ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, laser-induced fluorescence, mass spectrometry, conductivity, and amperometric detection. A focus is given to the identification and quantification of amino acids and their metabolites as potential biomarkers for metabolic and degenerative disorders. The work highlights recent advancements in CE methodologies and their potential to enhance sensitivity and selectivity in bioanalytical applications. Full article

The cosmetics industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors worldwide. The dynamic evolution of this industry results in an increasingly diverse range of products containing various active ingredients. Ensuring the quality of these products is crucial for consumer safety, necessitating the use of advanced analytical methods and adherence to legal regulations. Electrophoretic techniques, particularly capillary electrophoresis and micellar electrokinetic chromatography, facilitate the rapid and precise separation and identification of cosmetic ingredients. A well-chosen technique and optimized analytical conditions ensure high sensitivity, repeatability, and resolution, achieving detection limits that meet legal requirements. Although electromigration techniques are less common in routine laboratory analyses compared to liquid chromatography, they show potential for broader application in analyzing various substances found in cosmetics. This study reviews the possibilities of applying different electrophoretic techniques to analyze selected cosmetic ingredients serving various functions, including preservatives, dyes, exfoliating agents, UV filters, and also contaminants, while considering sample preparation methods, equipment used, and analysis conditions. The compiled data indicate that capillary electrophoresis, when compared to high-performance liquid chromatography and ion chromatography, shows comparable or superior sensitivity and repeatability, with detection limits adequate to meet regulatory standards. Full article

Cannabinoids, terpenophenolic chemicals found only in cannabis, are primarily responsible for cannabis pharmacologic effects; nearly 150 distinct cannabinoids have been identified thus far. Among these, the main psychoactive molecule, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and the non-psychoactive counterpart, cannabidiol (CBD) are distinguishable. In the past decade, a CBD-containing pharmaceutical preparation was approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of drug-resistant epileptic seizures in children, and research trials for a variety of additional medical conditions for which CBD has been suggested as a therapy are being conducted. Additionally, the number of “CBD-containing” dietary supplements, largely available online, is increasing rapidly. Consequently, the necessity for the development of qualitative and quantitative methodologies for the analysis of the bioactive components of Cannabis is rising because of the increase in the production of therapeutic cannabis products. One of the analytical methods with good potential in cannabinoids analysis is capillary electrophoresis (CE). It has advantages related to high separation efficiency, relatively short analysis time, and the small consumption of analytes and reagents which generates relatively lower operational costs than other methods. This review focuses on the use of CE techniques to examine biological matrices and plant materials for the presence of cannabinoids and other bioactive compounds found in cannabis. The advantages, drawbacks, and applicability of the various electromigration approaches are also assessed. The article provides an overview of the “state of the art” and the latest trends in CE-based methods for the determination of cannabinoids. Full article

Fiber traces are one of (micro)traces that can be found at a crime scene. They are easily transferable and, like other forms of evidence, can provide a link between a suspect and a victim. The main purpose of this review is to present methods developed to examine textile dyes extracted for forensic purposes using different capillary electromigration methods (CEMs). Scientific papers, mainly from the 20th century, provide reliable methods for the separation of water-soluble dyes. However, dyes insoluble in aqueous solutions have been and still are a challenge. Another problem is the sensitivity of the developed methods, which is, in most cases, insufficient for forensic examination of dyes extracted from a single fiber preserved at the crime scene. Although the methodologies already developed and presented in this review have the potential to be applied in a comparative analysis of textile dye traces, there seems to be a lot of work to be conducted. Some ideas on how to resolve these problems are presented and discussed in the article. Full article

The present review summarizes scientific reports from between 2010 and 2019 on the use of capillary electrophoresis to quantify active constituents (i.e., phenolic compounds, coumarins, protoberberines, curcuminoids, iridoid glycosides, alkaloids, triterpene acids) in medicinal plants and herbal formulations. The present literature review is founded on PRISMA guidelines and selection criteria were formulated on the basis of PICOS (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Study type). The scrutiny reveals capillary electrophoresis with ultraviolet detection as the most frequently used capillary electromigration technique for the selective separation and quantification of bioactive compounds. For the purpose of improvement of resolution and sensitivity, other detection methods are used (including mass spectrometry), modifiers to the background electrolyte are introduced and different extraction as well as pre-concentration techniques are employed. In conclusion, capillary electrophoresis is a powerful tool and for given applications it is comparable to high performance liquid chromatography. Short time of execution, high efficiency, versatility in separation modes and low consumption of solvents and sample make capillary electrophoresis an attractive and eco-friendly alternative to more expensive methods for the quality control of drugs or raw plant material without any relevant decrease in sensitivity. Full article

The article is a summary of scientific reports from the last 16 years (2005–2021) on the use of capillary electrophoresis to analyze polyphenolic compounds, coumarins, amino acids, and alkaloids in teas or different parts of plants used to prepare aqueous infusions, commonly known as “tea” or decoctions. This literature review is based on PRISMA guidelines and articles selected in base of criteria carried out using PICOS (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Study type). The analysis showed that over 60% of articles included in this manuscript comes from China. The literature review shows that for the selective electrophoretic separation of polyphenolic and flavonoid compounds, the most frequently used capillary electromigration technique is capillary electrophoresis with ultraviolet detection. Nevertheless, the use of capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry allows for the sensitive determination of analytes with a lower limit of detection and gives hope for routine use in the analysis of functional foods. Moreover, using the modifications in electrochemical techniques allows methods sensitivity reduction along with the reduction of analysis time. Full article

Recent years have seen the increased utilization of ionic liquids (ILs) in the development and optimization of analytical methods. Their unique and eco-friendly properties and the ability to modify their structure allows them to be useful both at the sample preparation stage and at the separation stage of the analytes. The use of ILs for the analysis of pharmaceuticals seems particularly interesting because of their systematic delivery to the environment. Nowadays, they are commonly detected in many countries at very low concentration levels. However, due to their specific physiological activity, pharmaceuticals are responsible for bioaccumulation and toxic effects in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems as well as possibly upsetting the body’s equilibrium, leading to the dangerous phenomenon of drug resistance. This review will provide a comprehensive summary of the use of ILs in various sample preparation procedures and separation methods for the determination of pharmaceuticals in environmental and biological matrices based on liquid-based chromatography (LC, SFC, TLC), gas chromatography (GC) and electromigration techniques (e.g., capillary electrophoresis (CE)). Moreover, the advantages and disadvantages of ILs, which can appear during extraction and separation, will be presented and attention will be given to the criteria to be followed during the selection of ILs for specific applications. Full article