What is a retardation factor?
Retardation factor is a ratio that is often used in chemistry. It is usually used in chromatographic applications, it is generally expressed as a ratio of distance traveled to the ratio of the liquid solvent. Measured substances can be identified by using light that reveals substances in a solution mixed with dye. The merged distance is usually divided by the distance of the solvent when calculating the retardation factor. The values derived often depend on the nature of the solvent; Moisture content, grain size and substrate thickness; How much material is analyzed as well as temperature. The value can then be included in the sample (RF) retention factor calculation, which usually ranges from 0.0 to 1.0. Proteins are often classified in this way, but a specific compound may have a different RF depending on the level of moisture or solvents in the mixture. With TLC, sample are often placed on the bottom of glass, plastic or aluminum plates during the stationary phase. The board is then added to the solvent in the phase calledMobile phase and speed at which the sample can then be moved.
chemical compounds in groundwater are often monitored by means of a retardation factor. The speed of groundwater movement is compared with the movement of contaminants as a ratio. Chemistry, nature of soil and chemical reactions that take place in the process affect the retardation factor. Processes such as sorption in which substances separated from solution and concentrate in material such as soil can also affect such movement. When monitoring water, this may cause increased contaminants levels in the soil, while in a given sample of water decreases.
Water volumes are often sampled in laboratories using estimates of retention factor as well as other variables. These can be calculated mathematically and then brought into a graph to compare the behavior of concentration with another aspect to identify trends. Depending on the method used may be required specific sizesamples. The soil is often analyzed in this way and the costs may vary depending on the sample and what contaminants may be present.
Retardation factor is used in various applications such as column chromatography and other sample analysis techniques. It can be used to monitor the movement of substances, contaminants and individual molecules. It is also possible to measure solvents moving cellulose fibers in paper.