postdesorption

Postdesorption is a term used to describe the set of processes, analyses, and phenomena that occur after a desorption event. Desorption refers to the release of species from a surface or phase, and postdesorption encompasses what happens to those species once they have left the surface—how they travel, transform, or are detected, as well as how the system re-equilibrates afterward. The concept is applied in multiple fields, including analytical chemistry, surface science, environmental science, and catalysis.

In analytical chemistry and surface science, postdesorption often concerns the handling and measurement of desorbed molecules. For example, in thermal desorption or desorption-based instrumentation, the postdesorption phase includes the transport of desorbed analytes to detectors, the timing of injection, and the influence of subsequent gas or solvent flows on peak shape and sensitivity. In solid-phase microextraction and related techniques, postdesorption is tied to the transfer of analytes from the sorbent to the analytical instrument.

In environmental science, postdesorption covers the fate of contaminants after they desorb from soils or sediments. Desorbed species may volatilize, dissolve and migrate to groundwater, or undergo biodegradation or secondary sorption to other phases, affecting remediation outcomes and transport models.

In catalysis and materials science, postdesorption describes events after molecules leave a catalyst surface, such as possible readsorption, surface restructuring, or changes in catalytic activity due to surface state evolution.

Overall, postdesorption is a descriptive umbrella for the subsequent behavior and analysis of species once desorption has occurred.