Improved dual photometric-contactless conductometric detector for capillary electrophoresis Original Research Article

A new design of a dual, UV photometric - contactless conductometric detector is described. The separation capillary with an optical window created is pressed onto two semitubular electrodes, 3 mm wide and 2 mm apart. The electrodes form the detection cell of the contactless conductometric detector. An optical fiber, placed in the gap between the conductometric electrodes, brings radiation from the source. The radiation that passes through the separation capillary is recorded by a large-area photodiode. The optical fiber and the photodiode operate the photometric cell which is between the conductometric electrodes. The detector thus permits simultaneous photometric and conductometric detection in the same place of the capillary, while exchanging of the separation capillary is easy and without effect on the detector geometry and performance.