Electric field effects on micro-channel electrophoresis

Though the area occupied by a micro-channel electrophoresis system can be reduced using serpentine channels, bend-induced loss of resolution due to plug lengthening in the direction of separation is observed. In the present work, electrophoresis is described as an electric field driven, dispersive drift process in a distributed resistive system. The distortion and lengthening of a plug around a bend are explained in terms of a geometry-induced non-uniform redistribution of the electric field lines.