Recent advances in enhancing the sensitivity and resolution of capillary electrophoresis.

An extensive search of published research and review articles indicates that enhancing the sensitivity and resolution of capillary electrophoresis (CE) is a very active area of interest. This review focuses on developments and applications in this field over several years, especially from 2009-present. It first reviews developments in the fields of online sample preconcentration and highly sensitive detection for sensitivity enhancement. The online sample preconcentration techniques cover all methods, from electrophoretic preconcentration, extraction-based preconcentration, micelle-based preconcentration and hybrid preconcentration to nanoparticle-based preconcentration. Attention is also given to multiple dimension separations, additives in buffer solution and capillary inner surface modifications that have been used to enhance the resolution and separation efficiency of complex samples in CE. The additives include nanoparticles, chiral selectors and other buffer additives that have been added to the buffer solution.