Miniaturization in action: High-resolution, low-cost analytical platforms for biomedical and pharmaceutical research

Growing concerns over environmental pollution have led to increased emphasis on Green Chemistry and, more specifically, Green Analytical Chemistry (GAC). These frameworks advocate for the reduction of hazardous substances, minimization of waste, and consideration of the entire life cycle of analytical procedures—from production to disposal. Within this context, miniaturized analytical techniques have emerged as sustainable and efficient alternatives to conventional methods. Among these, capillary liquid chromatography (cLC), nano-liquid chromatography (nano-LC), and various modes of capillary electrophoresis (CE)—including micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC), capillary isotachophoresis (CITP), capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE), capillary isoelectric focusing (CIEF), and capillary gel electrophoresis (CGE) have gained significant traction. Their advantages in terms of reduced solvent and sample consumption, enhanced resolution, and faster analysis times have made them particularly valuable in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. One critical application area is the chiral separation of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), which is increasingly vital in biotechnology, chemistry, agriculture, and especially the pharmaceutical industry. Electrokinetic chromatography (EKC) has proven to be an effective and versatile technique for this purpose, offering high resolution, flexibility, speed, and cost-efficiency. The growing availability of novel chiral selectors further enhances its appeal for the separation of enantiomeric drug compounds. This review provides an overview of recent advancements in miniaturized analytical techniques and highlights their applications in the biomedical and pharmaceutical sectors, with a particular focus on chiral separations using EKC.