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Hamamatsu Photonics
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Capillary Electrophoresis

Capillary Electrophoresis

Separation of complex materials can be performed by a number of methods. For large molecules, especially proteins or nucleic acids, one of the methods used is capillary electrophoresis (CE). Separation takes place in a liquid-filled column about 25 to 100 cm in length and 50 to 75 microns in diameters. A high voltage is applied, and the resultant electrical field drives the suspended molecules (ions) toward the detector end of the capillary. Ionic species migrate at differential speeds, which are determined by their mass-to-charge ratio and their interaction with the capillary walls.