CHEM2712 Analytical Chemistry Assignment 5 gunt0028

Assignment 5
Questions

1. Please explain why electroosmotic flow in a fused silica capillary is dependent on the pH of
the solution inside the capillary. (2 Marks).

The change in pH would influence the velocity and the direction of electroosmotic flow by causing a
change in the zeta potential. The pH would affect how ionised the bulk solution is, the more ionised
the solution would increase the positive charges on the particle surface, the zeta potential would
also increase. The change in pH would affect the direction of the electroosmotic flow, as it affects the
charges that are attached to the surface.

2. Which electrode does the electroosmotic flow move towards when electrophoresis is
performed using a fused silica capillary? Briefly explain your reasoning (2 Marks).

The electroosmotic flow moves towards the cathode, as the fused silica capillary is negatively
charged. The charges on the surface would be positive as they are attached to the anions on the
surface and move towards the cathode.

3. Does a negatively charged ion, flow with or against the electroosmotic flow in an uncoated
silica capillary? Briefly explain your reasoning. (2 Marks)

The negatively charged ion would flow with the electroosmotic flow as the uncoated wall has a net
negatively charge, the EOF is towards the negative electrode. Any injected solution into the buffer
would flow with the EOF.

4. Predict the electrophoretic elution order of Ti4+ V5+ Cr2+ Mn3+ using a fused silica column in
an aqueous buffer of pH= 6? Briefly explain your reasoning. (2 Marks).

The elution order would be.

1. Cr2+
2. Mn3+
3. Ti4+
4. V5+

The more positive charges the ion had, the more attracted those protons would be to the hydration
spheres. The more hydration speres would cause the ion to move slower in the column as the ion
would be large.

5. Would you expect these ions to elute faster or slower if the aqueous buffer in Qn 4 was
replaced with methanol? Please explain your reasoning. (2 Marks).

The methanol has a pH that ranges from 7-8.3, which is slightly different from the aqueous buffer pH
= 6, this wouldn’t change the elution order as it wouldn’t dramatically affect the number of hydration
spheres around each ion. The retention time however might decrease as the pH is less acidic thus the
ions would move a little faster towards the cathode.