Define Role of Buffer in Electrophoresis?

Buffer ions have a two-fold purpose in electrophoresis, they carry the applied current, and they fix the pH at which electrophoresis is carried out and, thus, determine the kind of electrical charge on the solute and the extent of ionization of the solute. By these effects, the buffer determines the direction of the electrophoretic migration to one of the two electrodes.

The buffer ionic strength determines the thickness of the ionic cloud surrounding the charged molecules and, thus, also the rate of migration and the sharpness of the zones. Many buffer systems are used in electrophoretic procedures, but the most widely used are the barbital buffers and the Tris-boric acid EDTA buffers. Next, let us get to know about the different techniques of electrophoresis.