ABSTRACT
CLC-EC allows determination of peptides and amino acids in real samples at low picomolar concentrations on 1 µL volumes. This extraordinary sensitivity is equivalent to the most sensitive methods, including fluorescence, mass spectrometry, and immunoassay. The approach of low noise derivatization should be equally applicable to CE and CEC with EC detection; however, these methods will require better preconcentration methods than those currently available. Applications of this approach include measurement of neurotransmitters in dialysates and single cell analysis. Microfabricated instrumentation with recycling electrochemical detector may further improve the detection limit for species that can be oxidized and reduced multiple times. Microfabrication may also make this approach more widely available. The main limitation to greater use of CLC with microelectrodes for EC detection is lack of commercial instrumentation that would allow simple implementation of the principles outlined above.
