Chiral separation of polychlorinated biphenyls by micellar electrokinetic chromatography with sodium cholate

Micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) with one kind of bile salt (sodium cholate) was used to separate three chiral polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs; 84, 95, and 176), each one in its two enantiomers. Sodium cholate was used as chiral surfactant in a 2-(N-cyclohexylamino) ethanesulfonic acid (CHES) buffer under alkaline (pH 10) conditions containing urea (2 M). The influence of bile salt concentration on the efficiency and the resolution between the two enantiomers of PCBs 84 and 95 was established. The chiral separation of three PCBs was successfully achieved in less than 30 min (approximately 23 min for PCB 176 and approximately 29 min for PCBs 84 and 95).