Avaliação de fase estacionária monolítica fotopolimerizada em capilar revestido externamente por fluoropolímero para uso em eletrocromatografia capilar

Abstract

In recent years an analytical technique which has gained significant interest in separations science is the capillary electrochromatography whose main features are the use of electroosmotic flow to elute the mobile phase and the use of columns with an inner diameter ranging around 100 µm, which allows obtaining highly efficient separations and low solvent consumption. Allied to this, the development of monolithic stationary phases whose preparation is relatively easy allows good permeability of the mobile phase and have high surface area. In this work, a monolithic stationary phase based on 3-(methacryloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane monomer, photopolymerized directly within fused silica capillaries (100 µm of inner diameter) was evaluated through electrochromatographic separations of standard mixtures of steroids: estriol, estradiol and progesterone, as well as some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Fused silica capillaries with an UV-transparent fluoropolymer external coating, alternative to traditional polyimide ones, were used. This fluoropolymer coating was adequate to the polymerization initiated by UV radiation close to 375 nm as well as for the detection of the proposed analytes. Besides, the removal of the coating section to create a optical detection window, was not necessary. A 23 factorial design was used to find a satisfactory separation profile of the three steroids, by varying the fraction of acetonitrile in the mobile phase, the concentration of ammonium acetate electrolyte and applied voltage during runs. The condition with 30% v/v acetonitrile, 10 mmol L-1 ammonium acetate and -25 kV showed a total run time of less than 10 minutes and a good resolution between the critical pairs of peaks (from 1.1 up to 1.9). The plate numbers per column meter in this condition was 1873, 3631 and 3886 for the estriol, estradiol and progesterone peaks, respectively. The repeatability of the electrochromatograms was significantly improved with the renewal of the mobile phase between the runs and, in combination with simultaneous pressurization of both inlet and outlet vials, it prevented bubble formation and instability of electric current due to electrolysis.

In parallel, the monolithic columns were tested in liquid chromatography equipment, but the results were not satisfactory. The equipment specifications, such as mobile phase flow rate and sample injection volume, were not appropriate for the columns size.