lahustumise

Lahustumise is the process by which a substance becomes dispersed or breaks down in another medium, resulting in a homogeneous mixture or a chemically altered product. In everyday scientific language, the term can refer to dissolution, where a solid dissolves in a solvent without chemical change, as well as to decomposition, where a substance chemically reacts with the medium or other agents to form smaller or different compounds. In biology and environmental science, lahustumine can also describe the breakdown of organic matter through enzymatic action or microbial activity.

Dissolution and decomposition follow different mechanisms. Dissolution involves solvation and lattice disruption: particles are separated and stabilized by solvent molecules, with the rate influenced by temperature, agitation, particle size, and solvent properties such as polarity and pH. Decomposition or hydrolysis involves chemical reactions that transform the original substance into new compounds, often accelerated by catalysts, enzymes, or specific pH conditions. Distinguishing between physical dissolution and chemical transformation is essential in fields like pharmacology, where dissolution rate affects drug bioavailability, and in environmental science, where pollutant mobility depends on solubility and reactivity.

Measurement and analysis of lahustumise typically focus on solubility and dissolution rate for solids, or on monitoring degradation pathways and product formation for chemical breakdowns. Practical applications span pharmaceuticals, food science, materials engineering, and environmental management, where controlling dissolution and decomposition determines performance, safety, and ecological impact.