Patent ID: 8414754

Claim:
A method for electrophoretic analysis, the method comprising in a microchannel, forming an interface between first electrolytes and an electrolyte-sample mixture, the mixture having at least one type of sample analytes mixed with second electrolytes prior to addition to the microchannel, the electrophoretic mobility value of at least one type of the sample analytes being between the electrophoretic mobility values of the first and second electrolytes; isotachophoretically arranging the at least one type of sample analytes by applying an electric field to the microchannel; applying an electric field to the microchannel and exchanging the second electrolytes in the mixture with the first electrolytes to terminate isotachophoretic stacking; and detecting a characteristic of the arranged sample analytes and generating an output characterizing the detected characteristic wherein after the step of isotachophoretically arranging, electrolyte is added to the microchannel and an applied electric field effects the electrolyte exchange at the sample analytes with the added electrolyte.