A data treatment method for detecting fluorescence anisotropy peaks in capillary electropherograms

[Display omitted] ► We explain the absence of fluorescence anisotropy peaks for capillary separations. ► We developed a method to visualize fluorescence anisotropy peaks for separations. ► This method was applied to a separation of amyloid beta peptide aggregates. A data treatment method is presented to detect fluorescence anisotropy (FA) peaks in capillary electrophoresis electropherograms. The data treatment method converts plots of fluorescence anisotropy vs. time that contain no peaks that are distinguishable from the noise of the anisotropy background into plots that show distinct fluorescence anisotropy peaks. The method was demonstrated using laser-induced fluorescence anisotropy data from individual Aβ (1–42) aggregates separated using capillary electrophoresis. Applying this data treatment method enabled the detection of anisotropy peaks for individual Aβ aggregate fluorescence peaks that were not observed prior to the data treatment method. The data treatment method is not specifically designed for Aβ aggregate analysis or capillary electrophoresis, and it should be applicable to other applications and other separation methods with FA detection.