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Determination of low‐molecular‐mass quaternary ammonium compounds by capillary electrophoresis and hyphenation with mass spectrometry
Author(s) -
Buchberger Wolfgang,
Schöftner Rainer
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
electrophoresis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.666
H-Index - 158
eISSN - 1522-2683
pISSN - 0173-0835
DOI - 10.1002/elps.200305419
Subject(s) - chemistry , capillary electrophoresis , chromatography , mass spectrometry , electrospray , ammonium , analyte , detection limit , capillary electrophoresis–mass spectrometry , electrospray ionization , organic chemistry
The determination of quaternary ammonium ions by capillary electrophoresis (CE) is reviewed. The analytes include tetraalkylammonium and alkylbenzyldimethylammonium compounds frequently used as antiseptic and antibacterial agents as well as in various household products, several plant growth regulators and herbicides, by‐products in bile acid sequestrants, and a range of anticholinergic drugs. Besides direct and indirect UV detection, hyphenation with electrospray mass spectrometry is particularly suited for quaternary ammonium ions and may lower the detection limits by two orders of magnitude. In comparison with established liquid chromatographic techniques, CE may exhibits superior separation efficiency. Applications in routine analysis have demonstrated that CE is reliable and robust enough to represent a real alternative to chromatography.