CTS - 9613241 Arne Pearlstein University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ABSTRACT The project is a combined computational and experimental effort at developing a generic field-enhanced continuous electrophoretic separation of chiral pesticides. The process is three-dimensional, and amplifies small electrophoretic mobility difference into large variations in azithumal displacement in an annulus, using an axisymmetric swirl flow. Enantioselective complexation with a chiral species provides the electrophoretic mobility difference. Computational work will focus on the effects of diffusion, field strength, geometry and swirl. Buoyant or electrohydrodynamic secondary flows will also be evaluated. The electrophoresis cell will be fabricated at NIST, where experiments will focus on the separation of herbicide enantiomers. The project may lead to an economical alternative to chiral separation for both commercial production and developmental testing. This will reduce the application levels of chiral pesticides and their environmental burden.
