Optimization of high-performance capillary electrophoresis of plant growth regulators using the overlapping resolution mapping scheme

Abstract

In this study, the use of a systematic optimization scheme for the capillary electrophoretic separation of nine plant growth regulators with a mixed carrier system consisting of three cyclodextrin modifiers was investigated. The scheme utilizes the overlapping resolution mapping procedure, an interpretive optimization scheme, to predict the optimum cyclodextrin compositions for the separation of the plant growth regulators. As few as seven experiments were required to achieve optimum conditions for separation of all the peaks. To validate the optimization procedure, additional experiments were performed by using electrophoretic media found in the optimum regions. The results showed that all the peaks were satisfactorily separated within ca. 20 min.