| Several fundamental parameters of capillary electrochromatography (CEC) were studied in an effort to enhance our knowledge of this capillary separation technique. The electroosmotic flow (EOF) and the electroosmotic mobility (mueo) were studied as a function of mobile phase composition, applied voltage, column packing material, and particle porosity. In addition, the retention factors in CEC as a function of particle porosity and applied electric field were examined. A system to measure porosity in CEC columns was developed and used to measure porosity of columns packed by different packing methods and operated under CEC conditions.; Two techniques: capillary electrophoresis with laser induced fluorescence (CE-LIF) and high performance anion exchange with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAE-PAD) were used to analyze tear fluid. Using CE-LIF, the storage conditions of tear fluid sample was studied. In addition, a method was developed to determine the content of glucose in tear samples collected in a paper matrix. Due to the challenges of using paper strips (a traditional approach) to collect and analyze tear samples, capillary tubes were investigated as an alternative to tear sample collection. HPAE-PAD was used as alternative method for the determination of glucose concentration in tears. |
