Amplify Your Findings with fully integrated CE/MS - Agilent 7100 Capillary Electrophoresis System

Importance of the Topic

Capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry (CE/MS) offers a highly selective, fast and low-consumption analytical technique particularly suited for charged small molecules, peptides and biomolecules. Its orthogonal separation mechanism complements liquid chromatography, providing enhanced resolution, minimal sample requirements and greener workflows.

Objectives and Study Overview

This document presents the design and capabilities of the Agilent 7100 CE system fully integrated with Agilent MS instrumentation (single quad, QQQ, TOF, Q-TOF). Key goals include demonstrating CE/MS performance advantages, outlining hardware and software integration, and illustrating application examples spanning metabolomics, peptide mapping and drug quantification.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The Agilent CE/MS platform consists of:

• 7100 Capillary Electrophoresis system with UV-DAD detection and optional LIF or CCD detectors
• CE/MS adapter kit and sprayer cassette or sheath-liquid interface
• Agilent 6000-series mass spectrometers (ESI, JetStream, APCI, APPI sources)
• OpenLAB CDS or MassHunter software for single-point control of CE, MS and make-up flow

The CE separation relies on electrokinetic mobility in fused-silica capillaries (25–100 µm ID), with nL-scale injections. The sheath-liquid interface delivers 1–5 µL/min of volatile solvent to support stable electrospray and grounding of the capillary outlet.

Key Results and Discussion

• High resolution (>100 000 plates) and rapid separations (minutes) with minimal buffer consumption.
• UV-DAD sensitivity enhanced by bubble-cell design; MS detection reaching ppt levels with JetStream and iFunnel.
• Robust method performance demonstrated in metabolomics by CE-TOF/MS and peptide mapping of BSA digests via Q-TOF.
• Drug-of-abuse quantification achieved using stacking injection and iFunnel QQQ with excellent limits of quantitation.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Orthogonal separation to HPLC enables analysis of highly charged or polar analytes that are challenging by reversed-phase methods.
• Minimal sample and solvent requirements support sustainable laboratory practices.
• Single-vendor solution ensures seamless instrumentation compatibility, integrated software control and unified technical support.
• Flexibility to add parallel detectors (UV, LIF, CCD) broadens analytical scope for QA/QC, research and routine workflows.

Future Trends and Potential Applications

Advances in microfluidic integration, novel capillary coatings and higher-sensitivity MS sources promise further reductions in sample size and analysis time. Coupling CE/MS with ion mobility, advanced data-processing algorithms and high-throughput autosamplers will expand its use in proteomics, glycomics, environmental screening and clinical diagnostics.

Conclusion

The Agilent 7100 CE/MS system represents a robust, sensitive and versatile platform for high-resolution electrophoretic separations directly interfaced to mass spectrometry. Its low sample consumption, green credentials and comprehensive single-vendor support make it an attractive choice for laboratories seeking orthogonal analytical solutions.

Reference

Agilent Technologies Application Note, Pub. No. 5990-7138EN, January 2013.