elute

American  

[ee-loot, ih-loot] / iˈlut, ɪˈlut /

verb (used with object)

Physical Chemistry.

eluted, eluting

1. to remove by dissolving, as absorbed material from an adsorbent.

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elute British  

/ iːˈluːt, ɪˈluːt /

verb

1. (tr) to wash out (a substance) by the action of a solvent, as in chromatography

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Usage

What does elute mean? To elute is to remove by dissolving, such as with a substance that has been absorbed into another substance. In the field of physical chemistry and chromatography, substances are normally eluted in order to purify another substance or isolate a specific substance from another for independent use. For example, to separate antibodies from red blood cells, a scientist would heat the combined substance in a saline solution. Separating out the antibodies would allow the scientist to study the antibodies more closely.Elution is the process of eluting, and the eluent is the solution you would use to elute your substance.Example: To understand why Madison was so sick, her doctor ordered a test that would elute antibodies from a sample of her blood.

Other Word Forms

• elution noun

Etymology

Origin of elute

1725–35; < Latin ēlūtus, past participle of ēluere to wash out, equivalent to ē- e- ¹ + -luere, combining form of lavere to wash ( lave ¹ )

Example Sentences

Then weeping overpowered her and she threw down the elute and ceased singing; whereat the folks were troubled and I slipped down a-swoon.

From Project Gutenberg