Element speciation analysis by capillary electrophoresis: what are the hints on becoming a standard analytical methodology?

While capillary electrophoresis (CE) is growing in importance as a versatile assay for providing element speciation information, there still exist major challenges that limit the technique's practical acceptance. The potential problems in CE applied to speciation analysis are due to certain "noes": no special attention on sample preparation procedures ensuring species stability and avoiding matrix effects, no sufficient care on possible changes in speciation during electrophoresis, no appropriate treatment on method validation and system suitability aspects, no sample enrichment methodologies and detection systems refined for routine use, etc. Approaches to help address these problems are brought into focus and critically evaluated. Recommendations are given how to advance reliable speciation measurements by CE. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.