Separation of metal ions via capillary electrophoresis using a pseudostationary phase microfunctionalized with carbon nanotubes

This study reports on the use of dispersed multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as a novel pseudostationary phase in capillary electrophoresis for the separation and determination of mono- and divalent metal ions. The use of a background electrolyte containing 1 μg⋅mL −1 of dispersed MWCNTs results in good analytical linearity, in detection limits in the range from 18.5 to 124 ng⋅mL −1 , and in limits of quantifications in the range from 61 to 409 ng⋅mL −1 . The method was applied to the analysis of the ions K(I), Ba(II), Ca(II), Na(I), Mg(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), Li(I) and Cd(II) in spiked honey, and mean recoveries were found to be between 80.0 and 106.7%. Dispersed carbon nanotubes were used as pseudostationary phase in capillary electrophoresis for the separation and determination of metal ions in honey samples.