What are the characteristics of capillary electrophoresis?

CE typically utilizes very thin, long tubes (capillaries) as separation columns. These capillaries provide a high surface area-to-volume ratio, allowing for efficient separation of analytes. In CE, a high voltage (typically 10-30kV) is applied across the capillary. This high voltage creates an electric field along the length of the capillary, which drives the movement of charged analytes through the capillary. Another characteristic is electroosmotic flow (EOF), which is a process where an electrolyte solution moves through a capillary facilitated by an applied electric field. This flow is induced by the interaction between the electric field and the charged surface of the capillary. CE separates molecules based on their charge-to-size ratio. Charged molecules experience electromigration when an electric field is applied, with the direction and rate of movement dependent on their charge. Additionally, the size of the molecules affects their migration rate through the capillary; smaller molecules generally migrate faster than larger ones.