Two interpretations of retention parameters in gas chromatography

This article is a reply to the attempts at discarding the traditional defin ition of the corrected retention volume as erroneous and replacing it with another as though unknown definition of V-R(0). According to the latter def inition, V-R(0) is the retention volume measured at the column outlet and r ecalculated to the average pressure in the column; the average pressure is ascribed to the value of V-R(0). The traditional definition was justified, and it was emphasized that common gas laws are inapplicable to the value of V-R(0). This value is independent of pressure and (as a gas volume) temper ature, and any values of these parameters, including normal values, can be simply ascribed to it for convenience. This property of the corrected reten tion volume bridges the gap between the known definitions. Only the volume rather than the number of gas moles passed through the column is a constant that characterizes the retention of a component.