Determination of counter-ions in synthetic peptides by ion chromatography, capillary isotachophoresis and capillary electrophoresis

The utility of three various analytical techniques [ion chromatography (IC), capillary electrophoresis (CE) and isotachophoresis (ITP)] was tested in the determination of counter-ions in synthetic peptides. The analyzed ions were acetates, trifluoroacetates and chlorides. IC provided the best results; CE, except limit of detection and limit of quantification, exhibited the comparable results. ITP was classified as the less useful because of the problem with the determination of the chloride ions. Nevertheless, all the three techniques were able to analyze trifluoroacetates and acetates ions with satisfactory results. Except analytical methods, three procedures using hydrochloric acid (HCl) (at two different concentrations) and acetic acid as sample solvents processed by lyophilization were tested. It has been found that the lyophilization not only by HCl but also by acetic acid is a simple and cheap procedure for removal of toxic trifluoroacetic counter-ions from peptides on satisfactory levels. Copyright (C) 2012 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.