CAPILLARY ZONE ELECTROPHORESIS OF 11 PRIORITY PHENOLS WITH AMPEROMETRIC DETECTION

A scheme for separation and detection of eleven priority phenols using capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) coupled with amperometric detection is described. With a capillary of 1,D. 50 mum and length 62.5 cm at 9 kV and an electrophoretic buffer of 20 mM CHES (pH 10.1), complete separation of the eleven compounds was achieved in less than 17 min, Amperometric detection was carried out using a carbon fiber microelectrode of diameter 9 mum inserted into the end of the detection capillary. Linearity over two orders of magnitude was generally obtained for the eleven priority phenols. With an electrode potential +1.10 V (vs. Ag/AgCl reference), the concentration limits of detection were in the sub-ppm (10(-6) M) level. This method was successfully applied to analysis of priority phenols in industrial waste water.