Forensic Science ELSEVIER Forensic Science International 77 (1996) 211 ~22’) Capillary electrophoresis: principles and applications in illicit drug analysis’ F. Tagliaro”“.‘, S. Turrina”, F.P. Smith” Received 12 June 1995: revision received 8 September 1995: accepted 4 October 1995 Abstract Capillary electrophoresis, which appeared in the early 198Os, is now rapidly expanding into many scientific disciplines. including analytical chemistry. biotechnology and biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences. In capillary electrophoresis. electrokinetic separations are carried out in tiny capillaries at high voltages (lo--30 kV). thus obtaining high efficiencies (,li > 105) and excellent mass sensitivities (down to 10 Ix- 10 “I moles). The main features of capillary electrophoresis are: versatility of application (from inorganic ions to large DNA fragments), use of different separation modes with different selectivity. extremely low demands on sample volume, negligible running costs, possibility of interfacing with different detection systems, ruggedness and simplicity of instrumentation. Capillary electrophoresis applications in forensic sciences have appeared only recently. but are now rapidly growing, particularly in forensic toxicology. The present paper briefly describes the basic principles of capillary electrophoresis, from both the instrumental and analytical points of view. Furthermore. the main applications in the analysis of illicit,controlled drugs in both illicit preparations and biological samples are presented and discussed (43 references). It is concluded that the particular separation mechanism and the high complementarity of this technique to chro matography makes capillary electrophoresis a new pow-erful tool of investigation in the hands of forensic toxicologists. * Corresponding author. ’ A first version was presented as plenary lecture at the UNDCP consultative Meeting of Heads 01 National Drug Testing Laboratories from the countries participating in the ‘Regional Balkan Route Laboratory Project’, Thessaloniki. 3 7 October, 1994. ‘At present. visiting professor in the Graduate Program in Forensic Science. The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham. AL. USA. 037Y-0738’96~Sl5.00 12 1996 Elsekier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reswed SSDl 0379.0738(95)01863-E