This paper describes the development, evaluation, features and applications of Chromophoreasy, an alternative Excel-based program for recognition and integration of chromatographic and electrophoretic peaks. The proposed recognition is made according to parameters adjustable by the analyst, such as time range, noise smoothing window size and slope/curvature sensitivity. During integration, retention/migration time, area, height, half-height width, plate numbers, asymmetry factor, US Pharmacopeia tailing factor, resolution and statistical moments are determined. A chromatogram/electropherogram is plotted along with the found baselines. The effect of peak shape (heights and symmetries) and baseline slope over accuracy was evaluated and the precision of recognition/integration was investigated under several simulated conditions, with varied signal-to-noise levels, smoothing modes and smoothing window sizes. Data from liquid and gas chromatography, capillary electrophoresis and electrochromatography techniques with refractive index, flame ionization, capacitively coupled contactless conductivity (lab-made) and ultraviolet absorbance detections, respectively, were treated, illustrating the broad applicability of the proposed program for standard and sample analysis. Statistically similar results were obtained, when compared with other commercial software, showing it to be a simple, practical and reliable tool for general use in the separation area.

A monolithic stationary phase based on 3-(methacryloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane monomer, prepared within a fused silica capillary externally coated with a UV-transparent fluoropolymer was employed for separation of estriol, 17-b-estradiol and progesterone by capillary electrochromatography in a standard mixture. A 23 factorial design was used to optimize the separation system. The optimized condition containing 30% (v/v) of acetonitrile and 10 mmol L-1 aqueous ammonium acetate presented a total run time less than 10 min by applying 25 kV. The resolution between adjacent peaks ranged from 1.8 up to 2.9 and the plate numbers per column meter in this condition was 1873, 3631 and 3886 for the estriol, 17-b-estradiol and progesterone peaks, respectively. The optimized method was employed in the quantitative analysis of a commercial transdermal emulsion formulation.