eluted

Eluted is the past participle of elute, describing a substance that has been washed out or drawn into a liquid phase under the influence of a solvent. In chemistry and related fields, elution refers to the process of transferring solutes from a solid or stationary phase into a liquid phase as a solvent passes through or over the material. The liquid that emerges containing the dissolved components is called the eluate, while the solvent used to cause elution is called the eluent.

In chromatography, elution is a central concept. A sample is carried by a mobile phase through a stationary phase in a column or other setup. As different components interact with the stationary phase to varying degrees, they are released (eluted) at different times, producing eluate fractions that may be collected for analysis. Elution conditions, including solvent strength, polarity, and the use of gradients, determine which components are eluted and when.

Elution is also a key step in solid-phase extraction and other purification methods. In solid-phase extraction, target analytes are retained on a sorbent during loading and then released by passing a stronger or differently composed solvent, producing an eluate suitable for subsequent analysis.

The term eluted applies across disciplines, including protein purification, nucleic acid purification, and environmental analysis, where control over elution improves separation, recovery, and sensitivity. Etymologically, elute derives from washing out or drawing out solutes from a solid matrix into a liquid phase.