Purified

Purified is an adjective used to describe a substance that has been processed to remove impurities, resulting in a material with a specified level of purity. Purification seeks to separate target components from undesired ones, and the term implies a higher purity than the starting material. It is common in chemistry, biology, medicine, and environmental science.

Methods vary by material but include physical separation (filtration, precipitation, crystallization, distillation), separation by phase (solvent extraction), and chemical or biological techniques (adsorption, ion exchange, chromatography, enzymatic treatment). In many industries, purified products are characterized by an accepted purity percentage, assay, or compliance with pharmacopoeial or regulatory standards.

Examples include purified water, which is treated to remove microorganisms and dissolved substances; purified solvents used in laboratories; purified proteins or nucleic acids produced through multi-step chromatography and filtration; purified industrial chemicals with defined impurity specifications. In environmental contexts, purification processes clean water or air to protect health and ecosystems.

Quality considerations include balance between purity and yield, potential changes to material properties during processing, and cost. The term purified is often preferred over “clean” or “filtered” when a defined specification is intended.