Capillary zone electrophoresis of proteins with fused-silica capillaries having polymers and surfactants adsorbed onto surfactant moieties previously covalently bound to the capillary column surface

Fused-silica capillary columns having cationic surfactant moieties (CSM) covalently attached to the capillary inner walls were introduced for the separation of proteins by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). The CSM capillary coating proved to be useful in the separation of basic and acidic proteins when modified hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC), namely epoxybutane-HPC (EBHPC), was adsorbed to the primary CSM coating, yielding a hybrid coating (i.e., coating consisting of a covalenty bound ligand and an adsorbed ligand). The EBHPC layer rendered the capillary surface highly hydrophilic, thus permitting the separation of basic proteins with relatively high plate counts. Also, the CSM coating was useful for the separation of acidic proteins when the capillary wall had, in addition, a negatively charged polymer adsorbed to the surface, e.g., hyaluronic acid. In general, neutral and charged polymeric compounds could be readily adsorbed by the CSM coating, thus altering the zeta potential of the capillary and diminishing solute adsorption to the capillary surface. In other words, the sign of the zeta potential of the capillary surface could be tailored to be of the same sign as the charge of the analytes. Under these conditions, little or no solute-wall interaction could be observed due to electrostatic repulsion. Although the capillary surface was charged, the presence of adsorbed polymer suppressed or, in most cases, even eliminated the electroosmotic flow (EOF).