SEPARATION OF PHTHALATES BY MICELLAR ELECTROKINETIC CHROMATOGRAPHY

Micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) of priority phthalate esters was investigated. A commercial photodiode-array ultraviolet-visible detector was modified for on-column detection in an MEKC system. For the separation of phthalate esters, electrophoretic media with sodium dodecyl sulphate in phosphate-borate buffer were used. The retention behaviour of the phthalate esters at different concentrations of micellar solution and at different pH values of the electrophoretic media was investigated. In addition, the effect of different voltages across the capillary tubing was examined. The results successfully demonstrated the application of MEKC for the separation of a group of six phthalate esters, five of which are priority pollutants.