First investigations for the characterization of glucosamine-6-phosphate synthase by capillary electrophoresis.

The enzyme glucosamine-6-phosphate synthase (GlmS) is an important point of metabolic control in biosynthesis of amino sugar-containing macromolecules and is therefore a potential target in order to design antibacterial and antifungal drugs. It has two oligomerization states, which are the active dimer and the inactive hexamer. For the first time, the potential of CE to separate and quantify the two forms was studied. After incubating GlmS with the d-glucosamine 6-phosphate (GlcN6P) inhibitor, an electrolyte based on sodium phosphate at pH 7.2 and an ionic strength of 100mM plus GlcN6P (either 2 or 20mM) allowed the hexamer-dimer separation. However, the displacement of the dimer/hexamer equilibrium during the analysis time prevented any improvement of the resolution when varying the effective separation length or the temperature of the analysis. Therefore, the use of a short-end CE method allowed the decrease in the analysis time to about 1min. Some parameters such as the temperature and the time of incubation and the ratio of the inhibitor and enzyme concentrations were studied. Then, it was also possible to test, very rapidly and with a very small amount, some molecules having an inhibition potential for the GlmS enzyme (arabinose-5-phosphate oxime, 2-amino-2-deoxy-d-glucitol 6-phosphate, and glucose-6-phosphate).

Stability and effectiveness of linear polyacrylamide capillary coating to suppress EOF in acidic media in the presence of surfactants, ionic liquids and organic modifiers.

Because of its high hydrophilicity, linear polyacrylamide (LPA) has often been used as a coating to suppress electroosmotic flow (EOF) in capillary electrophoresis (CE); however, its stability and effectiveness in acidic media, with or without organic modifiers, surfactants or ionic liquids is not well documented. In this work, the adequacy of LPA coating to suppress EOF in those different conditions was studied. It was shown that electroosmotic mobilities (µEO) did not change for at least 70h of non-stopped operation in all the tested conditions and the coating was stable. It was also shown that LPA coating efficiently suppresses EOF in acidic media (pH 4.0, 3.1, and 2.3) with or without organic modifiers (50% methanol or acetonitrile, ACN), as measured µEO values were between 18 and 84 times lower than those obtained with bare fused-silica capillaries. In acidic media with anionic surfactant (50mM sodium dodecylsulfate, SDS), ionic liquid (25 mM dodecyldimethylimidazolium bromide) or both SDS and ACN (buffer pH 2.1/ACN (8:2, v/v)+50mM SDS) EOF was reduced to a magnitude lower than with bare fused-silica capillaries, even though slight adsorptions of these surfactants were observed. LPA showed its superiority to hydroxypropyl cellulose, for which marked adsorption occurred because of its lower hydrophilicity.

Correlating molar masses of nitrocelluloses with their intrinsic viscosities measured using capillary electrophoresis instrumentation.

Specific viscosities for a set of six nitrocellulose (NC) standards comprising three different mass-average molar masses (between 20,000 and 300,000 g mol(-1)) of two different nitrogen contents (11.2 and 12.1%) were measured at 20 °C in tetrahydrofuran, using capillary electrophoresis instrumentation as a bench-top viscometer in frontal mode. Intrinsic viscosities were derived applying Huggins' and Kraemer's models, showing excellent convergence of both models at infinitely diluted polymer concentration. Good overall consistency was shown between viscosity data experimentally acquired by this new protocol and the mass-average molar masses provided by the manufacturers. This simple protocol should be of interest for a better understanding of the solvent interaction given by this complex polymer, and beyond this, for tailoring NC solutions devoted to film deposition, and for the determination of mass-average molar masses of unknown NC samples.

Analysis of underivatized cellodextrin oligosaccharides by capillary electrophoresis with direct photochemically induced UV-detection.

This work focuses on the development of a CE method allowing, for the first time, the simultaneous separation of the underivatized first seven cellodextrin oligomers (glucose, cellobiose, cellotriose, cellotetraose, cellopentaose, cellohexaose, and celloheptaose), with a view to analyze the hydrolysates obtained after partial acid depolymerization of nitrocellulose, and eight carbohydrates (ribose, xylose, fructose, mannose, galactose, maltose, lactose, and sucrose), which might be potential interfering compounds in explosives samples. Separation was achieved with a highly alkaline BGE containing sodium chloride and direct mid-UV-absorbance detection was performed after photo-oxidation in the detection window. EOF was reversed to speed up the analysis using a dynamic capillary coating by hexadimethrine bromide. A central composite design was carried out to determine the effects of BGE conductivity and sodium hydroxide concentration on resolutions between neighboring peaks, and analysis time. A desirability analysis on modeled responses was applied to maximize resolutions and to minimize analysis time. The simultaneous analysis in 20 min total runtime of the 15 carbohydrates plus internal reference (naphthalene sulfonate) was carried out at 25°C with a BGE composed of 77.4 mM NaOH and 183 mM NaCl to adjust the conductivity at the optimum value. Finally, the resolution robustness was checked. This new method should also be of interest to monitor food and nonfood crop products.

Multivariate optimization of the denitration reaction of nitrocelluloses for safer determination of their nitrogen content.

The nitrogen content is of paramount importance to predict the explosive or non-explosive character of nitrocellulose (NC), and hence its applications. There are still quite a few really effective analytical methodologies allowing its determination, due to great NC molecular complexity. One of the approaches giving access to nitrogen content consists in releasing the nitrogenic moieties through alkaline hydrolysis. For the first time, this work reports on the optimization of the denitration yield by means of an experimental design within reasonable ranges of sodium hydroxide concentration, temperature, and time. The experiments were conducted with non-explosive and explosive NC standards. An original capillary electrophoresis (CE) method was used to monitor nitrite and nitrate ions released during hydrolysis. Because of their very different chemical properties, denitration conditions were optimized separately for both sub-classes of NCs to maximize their denitration yields, applying desirability analysis on modeled denitration yields. Mild, safe, and robust optimized conditions were drawn. The denitration yields (95% for non-explosive NCs, 92% for explosive NCs) experimentally obtained under these conditions were in good agreement with model predictions. For practical purposes, correction factors based on these maximal denitration yields are proposed for the first time to correct the determination of nitrogen content, based on preliminary alkaline denitration. This new strategy was successfully applied to determine nitrogen contents of NCs in real explosive samples (smokeless gunpowders).

Capillary electrophoresis fingerprinting of 8-aminopyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonate derivatized nitrocellulose after partial acid depolymerization.

Fine characterization of nitrocellulose (NC) remains a challenge, especially in forensic analysis, and a strategy consisting in obtaining representative fingerprints by a separation technique, as for proteins, is of prime interest. In this work, we first established that NCs (especially of high molar mass) cannot be representatively derivatized by 8-aminopyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid (APTS), because of their poor solubility in the medium required for APTS derivatization. Therefore, a partial acid depolymerization step was considered, prior to derivatization by APTS, in an attempt to generate a mixture of oligosaccharides retaining information on the initial NC sample and/or on the cellulose used to prepare it. Acid depolymerization conditions (time and acid concentration) as well as APTS derivatization conditions (time, temperature, APTS/NC and reducing agent/APTS molar ratios) were investigated for lowly-nitrated NCs. The best compromise between depolymerization yields, speed, and pertinency of the resulting oligosaccharidic mixture was obtained using fuming hydrochloric acid (37%, w/w) at 50 °C for 30 min. The most effective procedure for APTS derivatization of oligosaccharides obtained after partial acid depolymerization of NC was achieved at 70 °C for 2h. The resulting APTS-derivatized oligosaccharides were then separated by capillary electrophoresis (CE) using a background electrolyte composed of 60mM 6-aminocaproic acid, pH 4.5 (adjusted with acetic acid)+0.02% hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose. Finally, for the first time, they were identified using APTS-derivatized cellodextrin standards and by matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS).

A new method for the determination of the nitrogen content of nitrocellulose based on the molar ratio of nitrite-to-nitrate ions released after alkaline hydrolysis.

A new method was proposed to determine the nitrogen content of nitrocelluloses (NCs). It is based on the finding of a linear relationship between the nitrogen content and the molar ratio of nitrite-to-nitrate ions released after alkaline hydrolysis. Capillary electrophoresis was used to monitor the concentration of nitrite and nitrate ions. The influences of hydrolysis time and molar mass of NC on the molar ratio of nitrite-to-nitrate ions were investigated, and new insights into the understanding of the alkaline denitration mechanism of NCs, underlying this analytical strategy is provided. The method was then tested successfully with various explosive and non-explosive NC-containing samples such as various daily products and smokeless gunpowders. Inherently to its principle exploiting a concentration ratio, this method shows very good repeatability in the determination of nitrogen content in real samples with relative standard deviation (n = 3) inferior to 1.5%, and also provides very significant advantages with respect to sample extraction, analysis time (1h for alkaline hydrolysis, 3 min for electrophoretic separation), which was about 5 times shorter than for the classical Devarda's method, currently used in industry, and safety conditions (no need for preliminary drying NC samples, mild hydrolysis conditions with 1M sodium hydroxide for 1h at 60 °C).

Determination of the nitrogen content of nitrocellulose by capillary electrophoresis after alkaline denitration.

Nitrocellulose (NC) is a nitrate cellulose ester polymer whose nitrogen content determines its physical and chemical properties and its industrial applications. For the first time, capillary electrophoresis (CE) was used to quantify nitrite and nitrate ions released after the alkaline hydrolysis of NC to determine its nitrogen content. This article focuses on the development and validation of the CE method adapted to the determination of these anions in basic matrices in 3 min total runtime. Molybdate anion was used as internal standard. The matrix effect in sodium hydroxide solution was statistically studied, demonstrating that no significant effect occurred in 0.5M sodium hydroxide solution. RSDs on normalized migration times (n=20) were 0.05% for both anions, while RSDs on normalized corrected areas (n=20) were 0.8% and 0.7% for nitrite and nitrate ions, respectively. The selectivity of the CE method was checked in the presence of 10 other anionic species potentially present in post-blast residues. Excellent linearities for normalized corrected areas (R(2)>0.999, residual standard deviations of ca 0.05) were obtained for both anions in the range 5-100 mg L(-1). Finally, the optimized CE method was successfully applied to calculate the denitration yields of two NC standards belonging to the non-explosive and explosive classes, and to determine the nitrogen content of a NC contained in a single-base gunpowder. CE, with its speed, low running costs, and simplicity of use, appears as a valuable alternative to ion chromatography for the nitrogen content determination of pure NCs and NC-based explosives, and more generally, for the determination of nitrite and nitrate ions in other highly alkaline matrices.

An experimental design based strategy to optimize a capillary electrophoresis method for the separation of 19 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Because of their high toxicity, international regulatory institutions recommend monitoring specific polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in environmental and food samples. A fast, selective and sensitive method is therefore required for their quantitation in such complex samples. This article deals with the optimization, based on an experimental design strategy, of a cyclodextrin (CD) modified capillary zone electrophoresis separation method for the simultaneous separation of 19 PAHs listed as priority pollutants. First, using a central composite design, the normalized peak-start and peak-end times were modelled as functions of the factors that most affect PAH electrophoretic behavior: the concentrations of the anionic sulfobutylether-ß-CD and neutral methyl-ß-CD, and the percentage of MeOH in the background electrolyte. Then, to circumvent computational difficulties resulting from the changes in migration order likely to occur while varying experimental conditions, an original approach based on the systematic evaluation of the time intervals between all the possible pairs of peaks was used. Finally, a desirability analysis based on the smallest time interval between two consecutive peaks and on the overall analysis time, allowed us to achieve, for the first time in CE, full resolution of all 19 PAHs in less than 18 min. Using this optimized capillary electrophoresis method, a vegetable oil was successfully analyzed, proving its suitability for real complex sample analysis.

Optimizing separation conditions of 19 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by cyclodextrin-modified capillary electrophoresis and applications to edible oils.

For the first time, the separation of 19 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) listed as priority pollutants in environmental and food samples by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA) and the European Food Safety Authority was developed in cyclodextrin (CD)-modified capillary zone electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection (excitation wavelength: 325 nm). The use of a dual CD system, involving a mixture of one neutral CD and one anionic CD, enabled to reach unique selectivity. As solutes were separated based on their differential partitioning between the two CDs, the CD relative concentrations were investigated to optimize selectivity. Separation of 19 PAHs with enhanced resolutions as compared with previous studies on the 16 US-EPA PAHs and efficiencies superior to 1.5 × 10(5) were achieved in 15 min using 10mM sulfobutyl ether-ß-CD and 20mM methyl-ß-CD. The use of an internal standard (umbelliferone) with appropriate electrolyte and sample compositions, rinse sequences and sample vial material resulted in a significant improvement in method repeatability. Typical RSD variations for 6 successive experiments were between 0.8% and 1.7% for peak migration times and between 1.2% and 4.9% for normalized corrected peak areas. LOQs in the low µg/L range were obtained. For the first time in capillary electrophoresis, applications to real vegetable oil extracts were successfully carried out using the separation method developed here.

Use of response surface methodology to optimize the simultaneous separation of eight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by capillary zone electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are among the most targeted contaminants by international regulatory institutions. There is thus a need for fast, selective and sensitive analytical methods to quantify these compounds at trace levels in complex samples. This article focuses on the optimization by means of an experimental design of a CE method with laser-induced fluorescence detection for the fast simultaneous separation of 8 heavy PAHs among food and environmental priority pollutants: benzo(a)pyrene, benzo(a)anthracene, chrysene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, and benzo(ghi)perylene. In this method, capillary zone electrophoresis with a mixture of an anionic sulfobutyl ether-ß-cyclodextrin (SBE-ß-CD) and a neutral methyl-ß-cyclodextrin (Me-ß-CD) was used to separate PAHs, on the basis of their differential distribution between the two CDs. First, the factors most affecting PAH electrophoretic behavior were identified: SBE-ß-CD and Me-ß-CD concentrations and percentage of methanol added to the background electrolyte. Then, a response surface strategy using a central composite design was carried out to model the effects of the selected factors on the normalized migration times. To optimize the separation, desirability functions were applied on modeled responses: normalized migration time differences between peak end and peak start of two consecutive peaks, and overall analysis time. From the model, predicted optimum conditions were experimentally validated and full resolution of all 8 PAHs was achieved in less than 7min using a borate buffer composed of 5.3mM SBE-ß-CD, 21.5mM Me-ß-CD and 10.3% MeOH. This CE separation method was successfully applied to real edible oil analysis.

Influence of high-conductivity buffer composition on field-enhanced sample injection coupled to sweeping in CE.

The aim of this work was to clarify the mechanism taking place in field-enhanced sample injection coupled to sweeping and micellar EKC (FESI-Sweep-MEKC), with the utilization of two acidic high-conductivity buffers (HCBs), phosphoric acid or sodium phosphate buffer, in view of maximizing sensitivity enhancements. Using cationic model compounds in acidic media, a chemometric approach and simulations with SIMUL5 were implemented. Experimental design first enabled to identify the significant factors and their potential interactions. Simulation demonstrates the formation of moving boundaries during sample injection, which originate at the initial sample/HCB and HCB/buffer discontinuities and gradually change the compositions of HCB and BGE. With sodium phosphate buffer, the HCB conductivity increased during the injection, leading to a more efficient preconcentration by staking (about 1.6 times) than with phosphoric acid alone, for which conductivity decreased during injection. For the same injection time at constant voltage, however, a lower amount of analytes was injected with sodium phosphate buffer than with phosphoric acid. Consequently sensitivity enhancements were lower for the whole FESI-Sweep-MEKC process. This is why, in order to maximize sensitivity enhancements, it is proposed to work with sodium phosphate buffer as HCB and to use constant current during sample injection.

On the use of capillary electrophoresis for the determination of inorganic anions and cations, and carbohydrates in residues collected after a simulated suicide bombing attack.

In order to train scientist field investigators after terrorist attacks, the laboratory of the Prefecture de Police of Paris simulated a suicide bombing attack in a bus. After collection of the residues, analyses were carried out to determine the composition of the original explosive charge. This article focuses on the combined use, for the first time, of three new capillary electrophoresis methods for the determination of inorganic anions and cations, and carbohydrates in two representative extracts. Capillary electrophoresis appears as an effective tool to identify and quantify the compounds in real extracts and is fully complementary to chromatographic methods.

Application of a new capillary electrophoretic method for the determination of carbohydrates in forensic, pharmaceutical, and beverage samples.

A new capillary electrophoresis method dedicated to the analysis of neutral underivatized carbohydrates was recently developed by our group. It involved a background electrolyte composed of 98 mM NaOH and 120 mM NaCl, and direct UV detection via the formation of an absorbing intermediate in the detection window by photooxidation. This article focuses on the validation of this method for the determination of fructose, glucose, lactose, and sucrose in forensic, pharmaceutical, and beverage samples. Intermediate precisions were about 2.3% for normalized corrected peak areas and 1.8% for normalized migration times using naphthalenesulfonate as internal standard. Limits of detection varying from 5 µM for sucrose and lactose to 7 µM for glucose and 10 µM for fructose were obtained. Potential matrix effects were statistically studied for soil, cloth, plastic, cotton, red wine, and with simulated iron, calcium, and sucrose-based matrices, containing various inorganic anions and cations, sometimes at high levels. No significant matrix effect was observed. Finally, analyses of real post-explosion residues, smoke device, cough syrup, red wine, and apple juice were successfully performed.

On the use of response surface strategy to elucidate the electrophoretic migration of carbohydrates and optimize their separation.

This paper focuses on the optimization with a design of experiments of a new CE method for the simultaneous separation of four carbohydrates of interest (fructose, glucose, lactose, and sucrose) and five potentially interfering carbohydrates (ribose, xylose, maltose, mannose, and galactose) with a highly alkaline separation electrolyte for subsequent applications to food, beverage, forensic, or pharmaceutical samples. First, the factors that potentially affect the carbohydrate migration were identified: NaOH concentration in the separation electrolyte, separation temperature, and separation electrolyte conductivity. A central composite design was then carried out to determine and model the effects of these three factors on normalized migration times and separation efficiency. From the model, an optimization of the separation was carried out using a desirability analysis based on resolutions between adjacent peaks and analysis time. The optimum conditions obtained were a separation electrolyte composed of 98 mM NaOH and 120 mM NaCl to adjust the conductivity at 4.29 S/m and a separation temperature fixed at 26.5°C. Finally, these conditions were experimentally confirmed and the robustness of the obtained separation was checked.

A chemometric approach for the elucidation of the parameter impact in the hyphenation of field-enhanced sample injection and sweeping in capillary electrophoresis.

The aim of this work was to elucidate the impacts of parameters influencing cation-selective exhaustive injection coupled to sweeping and micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC). A chemometric approach using cationic compounds, acidic conditions (phosphate buffer, pH 2.3) and polyacrylamide-coated capillaries to suppress electroosmotic flow were used. It was demonstrated that the water plug was not useful because of long electrokinetic injections. If conductivity of the high conductivity buffer (HCB) and the HCB to sample conductivity ratio are sufficiently high (>1.66 S/m and >30, respectively), variations of HCB conductivity do not impact sensitivity. The length of the HCB must be long enough so that the most mobile cation remains stacked in this zone for a given injection time. SDS concentration should be as high as possible (the maximum concentration is dictated by MEKC, here 90 mM), so sensitivity is not impacted. We have shown analytes can be lost after electrokinetic injection, when the polarity of the voltage is reversed. Introducing a plug of micellar electrolyte before polarity reversal avoids these losses. Following these recommendations only injection time and sample conductivity impacted sensitivity enhancement. Sample conductivity had to be the lowest as possible and controlled in real case analyses to obtain repeatable enrichment factors.

New avenue for mid-UV-range detection of underivatized carbohydrates and amino acids in capillary electrophoresis.

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) appeared as an interesting alternative to chromatographic methods for carbohydrate analysis, but it can be difficult to implement, because of the lack of easily ionizable functions and chromophore groups. Recently, a promising method was proposed by Rovio et al. for the CE separation under extremely high alkaline conditions of neutral carbohydrates under their alcoholate form and their direct UV detection [Rovio et al. Electrophoresis 2007, 28, 3129-3135; and Rovio et al. J. Chromatogr. A 2008, 1185, 139-144], which is claimed to be due to the absorption of enediolate at 270 nm. Even so, most of the detected compounds in Rovio's paper (for example, sucrose) cannot give such enediolate, lacking a carbonyl group. In this work, a deeper insight was paid to the understanding of detection mechanism. In effect, unusual detection phenomena were observed in comparing reducing and nonreducing carbohydrate behaviors, which pointed to the existence of photochemical reactions in the detection window. A more systematic study of the influence of many parameters (carbohydrate nature, electrolyte pH, residence time in the detection window, and capillary diameter) was undertaken. In addition to this, most of this work was performed under cathodic (reversed) electro-osmotic flow conditions (using Polybrene-modified capillaries), to obtain much faster separations than under Rovio's conditions. This study also opens up new avenues for the detection in mid-UV range of non-UV-absorbing compounds bearing reducing moieties, such as amino acids.

Analysis of degradation products of chemical warfare agents using capillary electrophoresis.

Analysis of chemical warfare agents (CWAs), their precursors and degradation products (DPs) is an important verification component in support of the Chemical Weapons Convention and urgently demanding rapid and reliable analytical methods. Considering a growing number of papers presented in the last years in the field of capillary electrophoresis (CE) of DPs, this review article gives an overview on CE techniques which are feasible for the determination of DPs with the advantages of using relatively simple and inexpensive research instrumentation, reduced consumption of potentially toxic samples, shorter sample preparation times, etc. A brief introduction is provided into the chemical background of CWAs followed by a documented appraisal that the CE method is well suited to deal with polar, acidic DPs mostly occurring in aqueous samples or extracts. Applications of CE to the separation of DPs are described, complemented by a critical discussion of the detection techniques, including mostly conductivity, laser-induced fluorescence, UV absorption and mass spectrometry. This review also includes actual development regarding the challenges of CE in analyses of different DPs from real samples, often avoided by in- and off-line pre-concentration techniques or the coupling of CE to selective detection methods. Special emphasis is placed on the miniaturised CE systems that have the potential of being before long developed into a field deployable and potentially disposable platform for routine DP monitoring in environmental samples.

Potential of long chain ionic liquids for on-line sample concentration techniques: application to micelle to solvent stacking.

The performance of micelle to solvent stacking (MSS) in capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) was improved for anionic analytes using the long chain ionic liquid type cationic surfactant 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (C12-MIM-BF4). The peak heights and corrected peak areas of the test profens and herbicides were enhanced up to 59 and 110-fold, respectively when compared to typical injection. These were up to 10 times better compared to the surfactant cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide as MSS carrier. This performance was attributed to the properties of C12-MIM-BF4. MSS requires micelles in the sample for transport of bound analytes to a stacking boundary that contains an organic solvent for effective electrophoretic mobility reversal. The ionic liquid micelles provided better analyte transport properties that resulted from its hydrophobic and pi-pi interaction capabilities. The good solubility of the ionic liquid in high percentages of organic solvent also facilitated a more effective reversal of mobility. The LODs obtained for the test analytes were from 0.06 to 0.12 µg/mL. The linearity R² values in terms of peak height and corrected area were ≥ 0.99. The interday repeatabilities (%RSD, n=10,) were 0.5-2.2% for retention time, 1.9-4.7% for corrected areas and 4.1-6.4% for peak heights.

Capillary electrophoresis analysis of inorganic cations in post-blast residue extracts applying a guanidinium-based electrolyte and bilayer-coated capillaries.

A new CE method was developed for the identification and quantitation of inorganic cations in post-blast residues. The simultaneous analysis in 20 min total runtime of eight cations in post-blast residues (ammonium, potassium, monomethylammonium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, strontium), plus lithium cation as the internal reference, was carried out with a BGE involving a non-CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic, and harmful to reproduction) chromophore (guanidinium cation) and a double-layer modified capillary (hexadimethrine bromide/polyvinylsulfonate). A study of UV detection conditions using guanidinium ion as the probe led us to set the analysis and reference wavelengths and their associated bandwidths as well as the probe concentration fixed at 15 mM. The successive multiple ionic-polymer layer approach limited the cation adsorption on capillary wall and improved the EOF stability. These caused a significant improvement in method repeatability. Intermediate precisions were 2.4% for corrected areas and 1.3% for normalized migration times. Limits of detection close to 1 mg/L for all cations were obtained. The matrix effects were studied with chemometric approach for different matrices representative of those collected after explosion. Tests with blank matrix extracts of soil, cloth, and with simulated matrix extract containing 800 mg/L Ca²âº and 500 mg/L Fe²âº were carried out and no significant matrix effects were observed. Finally, analyses of real residues collected after cash dispenser and homemade firework explosions demonstrate excellent correlation between the CE results and those obtained with the ion chromatography method used routinely.