Concentrational

Concentrational is an adjective derived from concentration, used to describe matters pertaining to the state, level, or process of concentrating. The term is not widely standardized and is encountered mainly in technical discussions where emphasis is on how concentration affects properties, outcomes, or workflows.

Usage and scope: In chemistry and materials science, concentrational descriptors refer to phenomena that vary with solute concentration or to methods that increase the concentration of a component in a mixture. For instance, a concentrational effect may describe how reaction rate or equilibrium position shifts as concentration changes. Concentrational techniques or steps are those designed to raise the fraction of a target substance, such as evaporation, distillation, crystallization, and certain separation methods that concentrate desired constituents.

Examples: In ore processing, concentrational methods include gravity concentration, flotation, and magnetic separation, which aim to increase the concentration of valuable minerals. In analytical chemistry, concentrational sample preparation focuses on removing solvent or concentrating analytes to improve detection.

Etymology and usage notes: The word combines Latin or French-derived roots with the English -al suffix; it appears sporadically in literature and is generally considered a niche or neologistic term. When clarity is required, writers often use more common phrases such as concentration-dependent, concentration-based, or concentrating methods.

See also: concentration, concentrated solution, concentration-dependent, concentrating, concentration process, selective concentration.