Capillary electrophoresis micro X-ray fluorescence: a tool for benchtop elemental analysis.

A new tool was developed for separation and elemental detection by interfacing a simple capillary electrophoresis (CE) apparatus, constructed using a thin-walled fused-silica capillary, with a benchtop energy-dispersive micro X-ray fluorescence (MXRF) system. X-ray excitation and detection of the separated analytes was done using an EDAX Eagle II micro X-ray fluorescence system equipped with a polycapillary Rh target excitation source and a SiLi detector. It was demonstrated that this prototype system could be used for the separation and detection of species containing two different metals from one another, specifically Cu and Co.