4. Detection

Detection is one of the most critical aspects of capillary electrophoresis. The sensitivity limitations inherent in each detection mode are further exacerbated by the tiny volumes injected (a few nanolitres for a capillary and a few picolitres for a chip).

In capillary format, the standard detection method is UV detection, whereas laser-induced fluorescence is commonly used with microchips. However, many efforts have been made in this field to improve detection itself (sensitivity, access to more information on the nature of solutes, etc.) and also to make it compatible with miniaturization. Many avenues have been explored, but in this section we will only mention the detection modes most commonly associated with capillary electrophoresis.