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Elution is the process of extracting or removing a substance from a solid material using a solvent. In chemistry, this is often seen in chromatography, a technique used to separate components of a mixture.1234

In elution chromatography, a mobile phase (a liquid or gas) carries the sample through a stationary phase. As the mobile phase moves, it carries the dissolved substances, known as the eluate, with it. Different substances will interact with the stationary phase to varying degrees. Those that interact less strongly will move through the system more quickly and emerge first, while those that bind more strongly will be retained longer and emerge later. This process allows for the separation and collection of individual components from a complex mixture.3567

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