Simplified sheath flow cuvette design for ultrasensitive laser induced fluorescence detection in capillary electrophoresis

Analyst. 2012 Jul 7;137(13):3099-101. doi: 10.1039/c2an35321k. Epub 2012 May 18.

Abstract

We present a design for a sheath-flow cuvette that uses a relatively inexpensive quartz cuvette. The cuvette has a high optical quality square flow chamber that is fused to quartz tubes at each end. PEEK/TEFZEL fittings hold and seal the quartz flow chamber without putting strain on the cuvette. The performance of the cuvette is evaluated as a laser-induced fluorescence detector for capillary electrophoresis. The cuvette produces mass detection limits of 50 yoctomoles (30 copies) for 5-carboxyl tetramethylrhodamine (5 TAMRA SE) with a separation efficiency of 400,000 theoretical plates.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Electrophoresis, Capillary / methods*
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Limit of Detection
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence / methods*