Dynamic Computer Simulation Software for Capillary Electrophoresis

Since the early 1980s, the use of computers within society has increased at a significant rate. They are now involved in almost every aspect of modern day life, and it is therefore not surprising that this prevalence has transferred into the professional field of the modern day scientist. Of particular interest in this chapter is the use in capillary electrophoresis (CE) to model or “simulate” the myriad of chemical and physical processes that occur during an electrophoretic separation. This is achieved through a series of model equations derived from the transport concepts in solution under the influence of a d.c. electric field together with user-inputted experimental conditions, such as concentrations, mobilities, field strengths or currents, capillary lengths, and so on, and a theoretical separation is calculated. One of the potential advantages of a simulation is the possibility of determining appropriate separation conditions well before any laboratory experiments are undertaken, making method development a simpler task, although it must be noted that this can currently only be done with limited capacity. Simulations can also provide detailed insight into the processes involved in the separation allowing the researcher to understand the result of a particular combination of experimental conditions, and with this information design new superior systems, and this has been the major area in which simulation software has been used to date. In addition, simulations can be employed for educational purposes.