Photopolymerized Sol‐Gel Monolithic Column for Capillary Electrochromatography (CEC) and CEC Coupled to Atmospheric Pressure Photoionization Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

A sol‐gel photopolymerization procedure was adopted to prepare the monolith in a 100 µm I.D. UV‐transparent capillary using methacryloxy‐propyltrimethoxysilane as the monomer. The chromatographic behavior of the column is evaluated with two mixtures of neutral compounds, namely 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and 11 alkyl phenyl ketones. The feasibility of applying this column for the CEC‐APPI‐MS separation and detection of these compounds was investigated.

Keywords:

• Monolith
• Sol‐gel
• Capillary electrochromatography
• Mass spectrometry
• Atmospheric pressure photoionization
• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Acknowledgments

Financial support for this project was provided by the National Institutes of Health (Grant No. GM 62314). The authors thank Dr. Christine Miller of Agilent Technologies for providing the CE‐APPI‐MS spacer and Ciba (Tarrytown, NY) for supplying Irgacure 1800. J.Z. is grateful for the fellowship provided by Molecular Basic of Disease Foundation at Georgia State University.